Islamabad, March 12, 2026: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Thursday announced that Pakistan generated $510 million (Rs142.6 billion) from the landmark auction of Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) spectrum, while completing the position assignment process to determine the exact placement of 5G spectrum blocks secured by telecom operators.
The announcement was made by PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman during a press briefing alongside Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja following the completion of the multi-band spectrum auction process.
The PTA chief said 480 MHz of spectrum was sold during the bidding held on March 10, generating $507 million in revenue — equivalent to about Rs142 billion for the national exchequer.
He added that the position assignment auction conducted on Thursday generated an additional $3 million after several rounds of bidding, bringing the total proceeds to $510 million (Rs142.6 billion).
Describing the process as one of the largest spectrum sales globally in terms of volume, Rehman said the government had fulfilled its responsibility by successfully conducting the auction and it was now up to telecom operators to translate the spectrum into improved services for consumers.
The position assignment stage allowed operators to determine the precise placement of the spectrum blocks they had secured. The process covered the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands, where operators bid for lower, middle and upper block positions to optimise network performance and minimise interference.
However, no assignment process was required for the 700 MHz band, which had been secured solely by a major telecom operator during the main auction.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the successful completion of the auction was made possible due to key decisions taken by the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
She noted that several countries had inquired about Pakistan’s 5G plans during the Mobile World Congress, reflecting growing international interest in the country’s digital transformation.
The minister credited the coordinated efforts of the PTA, the Frequency Allocation Board and other institutions for facilitating the auction, while also acknowledging the cooperation of Pakistan’s armed forces in vacating the required spectrum.
She announced that 5G pilot projects will begin in major cities next week, with commercial rollout expected in the coming months.
“The internet has become a basic necessity for Pakistan,” she said, adding that the government was finalising a smartphone leasing policy under the prime minister’s directive to improve public access to smart devices.
The minister also reiterated that the Ministry of IT and PTA have consistently advocated reducing taxes on mobile services and devices, though such taxes fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Board of Revenue.
Responding to a question, PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman said mobile packages had increased by only 10–15% over the past three years despite rising operational costs, assuring that the rollout of 5G would not lead to higher package prices.
He added that the deployment of the new spectrum would significantly improve connectivity across the country, with average internet speeds expected to rise from around 4 Mbps to nearly 20 Mbps.
