Pakistan Frees 600+ MHz Spectrum to Fast-Track 5G Auction

The Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) has made significant progress in preparing for Pakistan’s next-generation mobile services (NGMS) and 5G auction by freeing critical spectrum bands for commercial use.

Through extensive coordination with the defense forces, portions of the valuable 700 MHz band and the high-capacity 2300 MHz band have been released, while 285 MHz in the globally adopted 3500 MHz mid-band has been secured through re-farming of WLL services.

To ensure spectrum quality, FAB has conducted nationwide monitoring surveys to detect unauthorized use and interference. Dozens of illegal links were identified and subsequently closed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). FAB has also carried out cross-border spectrum surveys and initiated coordination with India, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, and the UAE to minimize spillover and harmonize frequencies for smooth 5G rollouts.

According to details shared with Parliament by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), FAB, and PTA, the Board in its 50th meeting, approved the availability of multiple frequency bands for the forthcoming 5G auction. These include 700 MHz (2×15 MHz), 1800 MHz (2×3.6 MHz), 2100 MHz (2×20 MHz), 2300 MHz (50 MHz), 2600 MHz (194 MHz), 3500 MHz (285 MHz), 24 GHz (3.082 GHz), and 39 GHz (4 GHz).

In total, FAB has made 606 MHz of spectrum available for the auction; however, 161.6 MHz remains under litigation. The largest portion under dispute is 140 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, which is considered the prime band for 4G and 5G globally. Court cases also persist in the 2100 MHz and 1800 MHz bands, creating hurdles in the release process and delaying potential operator participation.

The written reply further highlighted that the Advisory Committee on spectrum auction is currently analyzing two key challenges: the finalization of the PTCL–Telenor merger and the resolution of pending litigation in the 2600 MHz band. The committee has recommended swift resolution of these issues in the larger national interest to pave the way for Pakistan’s 5G launch.