Pakistan’s 5G licences are set to be issued this week by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority after telecom companies complete the final regulatory step. According to PTA officials, licences will be granted simultaneously to the three companies that successfully secured bids in the spectrum auction.
Officials said the licences will be issued once the companies submit their required bank guarantees. So far, one telecom company has already submitted its guarantee, while the remaining two are expected to do so within the next one to two days
Under the licence terms, each company must provide a $15 million bank guarantee. This requirement must be met before the PTA can formally issue the 5G licences.
Pakistan 5G Licences This Week: Follow the Spectrum Auction
Pakistan completed the second phase of its 5G spectrum auction last week, marking a major step toward the launch of next-generation mobile services in the country. The latest development now moves the process closer to formal licence issuance and eventual rollout.
Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the auction will generate $510 million for the government. The move is expected to pave the way for 5G services in Pakistan.
Read: Pakistan 5G Spectrum Auction Raises $510 Million As Pilot Projects Near
PTA Chairman, retired Major General Hafeez-ur-Rehman, also said the total amount generated from the auction is $510 million, which is around Rs142 billion.
The telecom companies involved acknowledged the fairness and transparency of the spectrum auction process. That response is notable because it supports confidence in the auction outcome and the next phase of implementation.
Telcos have already begun testing 5G services in several areas. That means the technical groundwork for launch is already underway, even before the final licences are issued.
The immediate next step is for the two companies that have not yet completed the requirement to submit the remaining bank guarantees. Once that happens, the PTA plans to issue all three 5G licences simultaneously.
This makes the coming days critical for Pakistan’s telecom sector. If the remaining paperwork is completed as expected, the country will move another step closer to commercial 5G services.
