PTA moves to final spectrum assignment to telecom operators after $507 million 5G auction

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to move another step closer to the rollout of next-generation mobile services as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is going to organise the Spectrum Auction Assignment Stage on Thursday, March 12, 2026, to determine the exact frequency positions allocated to telecom operators within each band.

The assignment stage comes after Pakistan raised $507 million in its landmark 5G spectrum auction, with the PTA now set to finalize the exact frequency positions for telecom operators to facilitate the rollout of next-generation mobile services across the country. The event is scheduled to be held at the PTA Auditorium, Islamabad.

The assignment stage will finalize the specific placement of spectrum blocks secured by telecom operators during the recently concluded 5G spectrum auction, enabling them to begin preparations for the deployment of next-generation mobile services across the country.

Earlier this week, telecom operators Jazz, Ufone, and Zong secured spectrum in the much-anticipated auction, which is widely seen as a major step toward faster internet speeds and improved digital connectivity in Pakistan.

The 5G spectrum auction, organized by the PTA on Tuesday, concluded after three rounds, raising $507 million through the sale of 480 MHz of spectrum out of a targeted 597 MHz.

The results of the auction were announced by PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman during a ceremony attended by Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarar, and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who formally inaugurated the auction process at the start of the event.

According to the PTA, the auction covered spectrum across several key frequency bands to support high-speed mobile broadband services. The authority offered around 600 MHz of spectrum, of which 480 MHz was successfully sold.

The auction included two lots in the 700 MHz band, all five lots in the 2300 MHz band, all 19 lots in the 2600 MHz band, and 22 out of 28 lots in the 3500 MHz band.

Among the participating operators, Jazz emerged as the largest buyer, securing a total of 190 MHz of spectrum. The company acquired 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz band, 70 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, 50 MHz in the 2300 MHz band, and 20 MHz in the 700 MHz band.

Ufone secured 180 MHz, including 120 MHz in the 3500 MHz band and 60 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, while Zong obtained 110 MHz during the auction.

Major General (Retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman, Chairman PTA, while talking to Profit, said that the assignment stage scheduled for March 12 will determine the exact frequency positions within each band, a technical step required before operators can begin network planning and deployment of 5G services.

It is pertinent to mention that the successful auction and subsequent spectrum assignment process will accelerate Pakistan’s transition toward the 5G era, paving the way for faster internet speeds, improved connectivity, and expansion of digital services across the country.