Pakistan's 5G rollout faces delays amid spectrum auction challenges

Pakistani consumers may have to wait longer to experience 5G technology as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) tackles several challenges in auctioning the 5G spectrum. The issue was highlighted during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by Palwasha Khan, held at the Parliament House on Thursday.

During the briefing, PTA officials informed the committee that implementing 5G requires a higher spectrum allocation, but several obstacles are hindering progress. They stated that a policy directive from the government of Pakistan is essential for acquiring a new spectrum. While the government permitted 5G trials in 2017, no significant progress has been made since then.

The officials revealed that an advisory committee has been formed to work on 5G implementation. In November, the PTA hired a consultant who has submitted a report on the matter. The committee was also informed that the case of Telenor's merger with Ufone is currently under review by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP). The decision regarding 5G spectrum allocation will be taken after considering the presence of three to four major telecom players in the market.

Representatives from the Ministry of IT clarified that even after the launch of 5G, not all users will transition to the new technology immediately. They added that the introduction of 5G would also enhance the speed and efficiency of existing 3G and 4G networks. Currently, Pakistan has three categories of frequency bands essential for 5G deployment.

During the session, officials also provided a briefing on projects undertaken by the Universal Service Fund (USF) over the past three years. The primary mandate of the USF is to expand telecom services to remote and rural areas. Over the last three years, 63 projects have been completed, providing connectivity to various villages across the country.

PTA officials emphasized that several legal and technical issues must be resolved before the spectrum auction for 5G can proceed. The committee has requested further details on the matter and will discuss the progress in the next meeting. While efforts from the government and PTA are ongoing to facilitate the launch of 5G, consumers will likely have to wait longer before accessing the next-generation network.