Pakistan plans 5G spectrum auction during Ramadan 2026

The Pakistan government has decided to hold the auction for the 5G spectrum during the holy month of Ramadan 2026, with plans to launch 5G services in major cities within six months of the auction.

Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima said that following the spectrum auction, 3G and 4G services are also expected to improve significantly.

She expressed the government’s intention to complete the 5G spectrum auction by the end of February.

According to the minister, improvements in 3G and 4G services are likely to be visible within three to four months after the auction, while efforts are under way to roll out 5G services in major cities of Pakistan within six months.

Shaza Fatima said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is consulting stakeholders on quality of service standards and rollout conditions. She added that telecom companies are finalising their preparations for the 5G spectrum auction.

In Islamabad, the federal minister said all companies have been given three weeks to complete the process, and following consultations, the information memorandum will be finalised in the first week of February.

To make digital access affordable, the government was finalizing a Smartphones for All Policy to make devices more accessible.

She said 100,000 laptops were distributed to students each year, and that Google had started assembling Chromebooks in Pakistan — a move expected to boost local manufacturing.