Pakistan’s PTA has confirmed March 10, 2026 as the date for the country’s first major 5G spectrum auction, offering 597 MHz across six bands with expected revenues of up to $700 million.
Pakistan is weeks away from the most significant event in its telecommunications history. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has confirmed that the country’s first major 5G spectrum auction will be held on March 10, 2026, following years of delays and extensive regulatory preparation. The auction is expected to generate between $300 million and $700 million for the national treasury, with a minimum non-tax revenue target of $630.4 million. It will pave the way for a dramatic upgrade in internet speeds across the country.
The federal government has officially declared fiscal year 2025-26 as Pakistan’s national transition period for 5G. The PTA announced the March 10 date after the Spectrum Advisory Committee met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to finalize the framework. An information and briefing session for prospective applicants was held on February 16, 2026. All bidder applications along with a $15 million bank guarantee must be submitted by February 27.
Spectrum on Offer and Pricing
The auction will make 597 MHz of spectrum available across six frequency bands: 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz. Bidding in the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands is mandatory in the first round, and each participating operator must secure a minimum of 100 MHz of spectrum.
Base prices have been set in US dollars with payments to be made in Pakistani rupees at the State Bank of Pakistan’s prevailing exchange rate on auction day. The 700 MHz band is priced at $6.5 million per MHz, the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands at $14 million per MHz each, the 2300 MHz band at $1 million per MHz, the 2600 MHz band at $1.25 million per MHz, and the 3500 MHz band at $0.65 million per MHz.
Operators can pay the full licence fee by the first anniversary of licence issuance or opt for deferred payments, with at least 50 percent payable by year one and the remainder in five equal annual instalments at KIBOR plus 3 percent. The auction will be conducted through a multi-round electronic clock format and will be considered successful if more than 50 percent of the offered spectrum is sold.
Bidders, Speed Targets and Rollout Plans
Three major operators are expected to participate: Jazz, Zong, and the newly merged PTCL-Ufone-Telenor entity. PTCL completed its Rs108 billion acquisition of 100 percent of Telenor Pakistan in January 2026, making it the second largest telecom operator in Pakistan with approximately 35 percent of subscribers. Jazz remains the market leader at around 37 to 38 percent, while Zong holds approximately 26 percent. The PTA has confirmed that only one of PTCL, Ufone, or Telenor may participate from the merged group. Foreign companies may also participate without restrictions.
For everyday users, the auction will mean a meaningful upgrade in connectivity. Minimum 4G download speeds will rise from the current 4 Mbps to 20 Mbps between 2026 and 2027, reaching 50 Mbps by 2030-35, a fivefold increase. For 5G, minimum download speeds will start at 50 Mbps and climb to 100 Mbps by 2030-35, with latency targets set at 35 milliseconds, representing speeds up to 25 times faster than current connections in covered areas.
Initial 5G coverage will focus on federal and provincial capitals including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta, with priority given to universities, technology parks, industrial zones, and major transit hubs. Each winning operator must deploy advanced mobile technology across a minimum of 1,000 sites per year, with at least 200 being completely new locations and 200 designated for underserved areas. The fiber-to-the-site ratio must grow from 20 percent to 35 percent by 2035. Comprehensive nationwide coverage is targeted by 2032-35.
A separate 5G spectrum auction for Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir will follow the main auction. PTA Chairman retired Major General Hafeez Ur Rehman confirmed the authority’s preference that spectrum in those two regions be offered free of cost, allowing operators to direct capital expenditure toward building infrastructure rather than paying for frequencies.
Nearly 80 percent of mobile phones currently in use in Pakistan already support the key frequency bands required for 5G. Local manufacturing of 5G-enabled smartphones has begun, with 500,000 to 600,000 units produced so far. Commercial 5G services are expected to begin rolling out in the second half of 2026 following the auction.
