On January 2, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja announced that Pakistan would auction around 600 megahertz of additional spectrum within the coming weeks, a move aimed at improving internet speeds and enabling the rollout of 5G services across the country.
Addressing the media in Islamabad, the minister said Pakistan currently operates its entire mobile internet network on just 274MHz of spectrum for a population of nearly 240 million. She described the country as spectrum-starved and noted that Bangladesh, with a significantly smaller population, has access to about 600MHz. According to the minister, Pakistan has the lowest spectrum availability in the region due to the absence of major spectrum auctions over many years.
The Economic Coordination Committee approved the auction process last week, with the government aiming to complete it by the end of January or early February. The auction will include seven spectrum bands, five of which are being offered in Pakistan for the first time. Officials expect improved 3G and 4G services within three to four months of the auction, while 5G services are projected to launch within six months in provincial capitals, including Islamabad.
The minister said the additional spectrum would support the rollout of future-ready connectivity and strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure. She stressed that the internet should be viewed as critical infrastructure, comparable to roads in earlier periods, and said improved connectivity was essential for economic development, employment creation, education, healthcare, agriculture, exports, and national and personal security.
The federal cabinet has also approved the Mobile Virtual Network Operator framework, designed to support a more efficient and targeted 5G auction. Under the policy, MVNOs will be able to offer nationwide services without owning spectrum, instead purchasing network capacity from existing mobile network operators and operating under their own brands.
The framework introduces a 15-year MVNO licence with a nationwide upfront fee of $140,000, payable in Pakistani rupees. MVNOs will be required to pay annual regulatory contributions, including universal service fund and research and development fees, based on combined revenues with their host operators. The licence can be renewed, but will be suspended if an MVNO ends its agreement with a host operator without securing a new one.
The policy supports multiple MVNO models, from basic resellers to full operators with their own core networks, and requires all agreements between mobile network operators and MVNOs to receive approval from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. MVNOs must meet service quality standards, operate helplines and customer care centres, and comply with national security requirements, including lawful interception and SIM management rules.
Separately, the minister said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has approved district-level internet service provider licences, allowing local cable operators and small companies to legally offer internet services in villages, small towns and underserved areas. She said this measure would expand fibre connectivity and address longstanding complaints from rural communities.
