ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecommunication, chaired by Amin-ul-Haque, on Wednesday reviewed preparations for Pakistan’s upcoming 5G spectrum auction, with the telecom regulator confirming that all three major operators have deposited mandatory pre-bid guarantees.
Opening the session, the committee chairman directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to brief members in detail on the 5G spectrum auction process and policy framework.
PTA Chairman informed the panel that Jazz, Ufone and Zong have each submitted the required $15 million earnest money for participation in the auction, bringing the total pre-bid deposits to $45m. “All three telecom operators will take part in the bidding process,” he said.
Director General Licensing PTA, Amir Shehzad, told the committee that a total of six spectrum bands would be offered in the 5G auction, including four new bands being introduced to the market. He said the regulator had hired an international consultant, which conducted consultations with relevant stakeholders before submitting its recommendations.
Based on the consultant’s report, the government issued a policy directive, following which the PTA released the Information Memorandum outlining the auction framework. The deadline for submission of bids has been set for February 27, while the auction is scheduled to take place on March 10 at a local hotel in Islamabad. A central control room will be established at PTA headquarters to oversee the process.
Officials added that an advisory committee is supervising matters related to the 5G spectrum auction to ensure transparency and compliance. The PTA chairman noted that efforts were underway to improve quality of service, adding that enhanced spectrum allocation would help raise 4G download speeds to around 20 Mbps.
During the meeting, members also discussed the reported shutdown of a firewall system aimed at regulating social media platforms. Committee member Sadiq Memon questioned whether the firewall had been discontinued ahead of the 5G auction. The chairman advised members to first complete the 5G briefing before taking up the firewall matter in detail.
Describing the auction preparations as encouraging, Mr Haque said it was a positive development that the 5G spectrum sale was moving forward in an organised and transparent manner, expressing hope that the rollout would strengthen Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and connectivity landscape.
