Pakistan is set to see its first wave of affordable 5G smartphones, with locally assembled devices expected to enter the market at prices starting from around Rs30,000, even before commercial 5G services officially go live.
Industry and regulatory sources say local mobile phone assemblers, working closely with the government, are preparing to supply nearly two million 5G-enabled handsets in time for the country’s much-anticipated 5G rollout. The move is aimed at ensuring that device availability does not become a bottleneck when high-speed services begin.
The development follows a recent meeting between the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Mobile Device Manufacturers (MDM) Association, which represents 23 local assemblers and manufacturers. Officials said the government has assured full facilitation to the industry, including easing import procedures and expediting Certificates of Conformity (CoC) to support faster production.
According to industry estimates, around 500,000 5G smartphones have already been assembled locally, with brands such as Samsung, Vivo and OPPO leading early production. This signals growing readiness ahead of the 5G spectrum auction, expected by the end of next month.
Regulatory officials indicated that commercial 5G services could be launched in major cities within five months, followed by a phased expansion nationwide. To improve affordability amid economic pressures, the government has encouraged manufacturers to offer installment-based purchase options, a proposal that has received a positive response from the industry.
Manufacturers say entry-level 5G devices priced near Rs30,000 will be rolled out first, with production scaled up gradually in line with market demand.
Officials stressed that the availability of low-cost smartphones, alongside timely spectrum allocation and network deployment, will be crucial to the success of 5G in Pakistan. Continued coordination between regulators, telecom operators and device makers, they added, is expected to smooth the path toward the country’s next phase of digital connectivity.
