ISLAMABAD, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday formally launched its long-awaited 5G spectrum auction, a move aimed at accelerating the country's digital economy and improving mobile connectivity.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Finance and Revenue Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the government had created a complete ecosystem for the rollout of 5G services, noting that the technology would support emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and blockchain while boosting the country's IT exports.
Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the launch as an important milestone in Pakistan's technological development, saying the country could not afford to miss the global digital transformation.
The auction is being conducted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, with the first bidding round lasting 60 minutes.
Three telecom operators are participating in the auction, officials said.
Authorities expect the rollout of 5G services in major cities within six months of the auction's completion, while improvements to 4G services could begin within the next four to five months.
According to officials, about 600 MHz of spectrum across six frequency bands has been offered in the auction, including 700 MHz for wider rural coverage, 2.6 GHz to strengthen existing 4G services, and 3.5 GHz identified as the primary band for 5G deployment. ■
