• Pakistan has completed its 5G auction 
• The process has dramatically increased the spectrum holdings of the country’s three main mobile operators
• Mobile market leader Jazz picked up the most spectrum, just ahead of Ufone

Good news for Pakistan’s 202 million mobile users – the country’s government has concluded its 5G spectrum auction, which increased the total spectrum available to mobile operators from 274 MHz to 754 MHz, heralding not only the introduction of 5G services but also better quality 4G connectivity and digital services. 

The auction, conducted over three rounds of bidding held on 10 March, raised $507m for the government from the sale of licences for 480 MHz of spectrum across multiple bands, with the country’s mobile market leader Jazz (aka JazzWorld), a subsidiary of internal operator Veon, leading the way. 

The country’s regulator, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), had put 597 MHz of spectrum up for grabs, with the country’s three main mobile operators – Jazz (aka Pakistan Mobile Communications Ltd), Ufone (Pak Telecom Mobile Ltd) and Zong (CMPak Ltd) – registered as qualified bidders. 

All of the licences up for grabs in the 2600 MHz and 2300 MHz bands, regarded as prime 5G frequencies, were sold, while some were surplus to requirements in the 3500 MHz (also good for 5G services) and 700 MHz bands: None of the licences for 1800 MHz or 2100 MHz spectrum were sold. 

Jazz, which ended January with 74.2 million mobile customers (36.6% market share), snapped up 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz band, 70 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, 50 MHz in the 2300 MHz band, and 20 MHz in the 700 MHz band, for a total of 190 MHz of spectrum: It will pay $239.5m for its licences, according to Veon. 

Ufone, which ended January with 72.4 million subscribers (35.7% share) following its recent merger with Telenor Pakistan, secured 120 MHz in the 3500 MHz band and 60 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, for a total of 180 MHz of mid-band spectrum. 

Zong (53.8 million mobile customers, 26.6% share) landed 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz band and 60 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, for a total of 110 MHz of mid-band spectrum. 

Licence payments for the spectrum will begin in 2027, allowing operators time to deploy the required network technology, noted Veon in this announcement.

Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim, who spoke with TelecomTV during the recent MWC26 show in Barcelona about his company’s digital services and 5G aspirations, stated: “As we upgrade our customer value proposition with augmented intelligence, it is essential to continue investing in technologies that enable superior digital experiences. The additional spectrum secured in this auction allows us to expand connectivity, enhance network capacity and continue scaling high-quality mobile broadband nationwide while progressively introducing new capabilities that support innovation, enterprise growth and digital inclusion.”

Pakistan’s IT minister, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, described the auction as “maybe one of the most important days in the history of Pakistan”, according to this report from Pakistan online news site Dawn Business, as it added a great deal more capacity to the country’s mobile ecosystem and will not only herald the introduction of 5G services but also enhance the quality of 4G connections.  

She added: “I know people’s first question is always ‘When will we feel the impact of this?’ So in four or five months, you will see significantly better quality in your 4G services.” The minister noted there was an expectation that 5G services would become available in Pakistan’s five largest cities within five to six months. 

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV