The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has started the process for the sale of additional spectrum to mobile phone companies — an exercise expected to bring the government around $1 billion from the auction.
According to a local media report, the new spectrum will be applicable for enhancing telephony and broadband services in Pakistan only as these frequencies will be applicable for the Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).
The PTA has issued the Information Memorandum (IM) to all the four mobile operators in country, offering each megahertz (MHz) in the 1,800 MHz band at $31 million and one mega hertz in 2,100 MHz band at $29m and is offering 12.8 MHz spectrum in the 1,800 MHz band and 15 MHz in 2,100 MHz band.
The IM issued by the PTA has given the timelines for the Spectrum Auction, with all the interested parties having to submit their proposals to the authority within 21 days starting from August 5.
This will be followed by negotiations and discussions for one week between the applicant mobile operators and the authorities which include the PTA, consultant and other authorised officials.
The mobile operators will have to submit sealed bids within 35 days i.e. mid-September. The whole process is expected to be completed in three months.
The government has also offered new investors to participate in the auction process in a bid to invite potential “New Entrant” in the cellular mobile market of the country.
