Advisory Committee Directs Frequency Allocation Board to Allocate Spectrum for 5G Auction

The Auction Advisory Committee, chaired by Caretaker Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhter, has directed the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) to allocate spectrum for the upcoming 5G auction.

The committee meeting, attended by key government officials, including Caretaker Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Dr. Umar Saif, focused on the necessary steps to initiate the 5G auction process.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) provided a comprehensive briefing during the meeting, covering aspects such as 5G spectrum details, the auction process timeline, and the expected revenue generation.

Sources told ProPakistani that the authority informed the committee that hiring an international consultant is crucial for the successful preparation of the auction report. This consultant will engage with stakeholders and present the report to the federal government, a process expected to take a few months.

The Frequency Allocation Board also updated the committee on the available spectrum and frequency bands for the upcoming 5G auction. Sources indicate that the board highlighted new spectrum availability resulting from a recent court decision and the vacation of some spectrum by the Ministry of Defense and Wireless Local Loop (WLL) operators. Following these developments, the Frequency Allocation Board emphasized the need for a new assessment of the available spectrum.

Responding to this, the Auction Advisory Committee directed the Frequency Allocation Board to promptly identify the total spectrum, both new and old, available for the 5G auction. The committee seeks approval from the Frequency Allocation Board regarding the available spectrum and frequency bands for the auction and has instructed them to inform the PTA about the identified spectrum for the 5G auction.

Sources revealed that the committee has set a two-week deadline for the Frequency Allocation Board to allocate the spectrum for 5G and communicate the decision to the PTA. The committee will reconvene in the next meeting to decide on the hiring of an international consultant for the 5G spectrum auction.