The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has collected Rs. 12 billion in upfront payments from telecom operators ahead of the country’s 5G spectrum auction scheduled for March 10.
Officials said each participating company deposited Rs. 4 billion to qualify for the bidding process, fulfilling a key requirement before the auction begins.
Under the terms set by the regulator, every bidder must purchase at least 100 megahertz of spectrum. PTA has warned that failure to acquire the minimum spectrum will result in forfeiture of the deposited amount, a condition aimed at ensuring only serious operators participate and that the spectrum is fully utilized.
The auction will be contested by three existing telecom operators in Pakistan, all of which have foreign investment from the United Arab Emirates, China and Russia. No new telecom company applied to join the bidding process before the deadline.
As part of preparations, the authority held a mock auction on March 5 to test the bidding system and ensure smooth execution. Representatives from Jazz, Zong and Telenor Pakistan participated in the exercise.
The session was conducted with support from NERA Economic Consulting, which briefed operators on the bidding format and technical procedures.
Officials noted that the existing telecom operators already maintain thousands of towers across Pakistan, making it costly for new entrants to build competing networks. The successful auction of 5G spectrum is expected to enable the launch of next generation mobile services and strengthen digital connectivity across the country.