Information Technology and Telecommunication Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Friday announced the government will soon auction around 600 megahertz of additional spectrum, maintaining this will help improve internet speeds in the country and facilitate the rollout of 5G services.
In a press conference, she said the federal cabinet had approved the framework for a major spectrum auction involving seven spectrum bands, five of which will be auctioned in the country for the first time. She claimed the additional spectrum would significantly improve 3G and 4G services, while 5G services would be launched in Islamabad and all provincial capitals within six months.
Acknowledging persistent internet slowdowns, she said this was due to a shortage of available spectrum, likening the situation to attempting to operate “four-lane traffic on a two-lane road.” Pakistan’s entire mobile internet network currently operates on just 274MHz of spectrum, she said, one of the lowest in the region. Referring to Bangladesh, she noted that despite having a lower population it has nearly 600MHz of spectrum.
“Our goal is not just faster internet, but future-ready connectivity,” she said, maintaining this was no longer a luxury but a critical requirement for economic growth, national security, education, healthcare, agriculture and exports. She said Pakistan is now the world’s fourth-largest freelancing economy, with the I.T. industry growing at an annual rate of 20-21%.
According to Khawaja, the federal cabinet has also approved a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) policy, allowing new telecoms to enter the market without building their own networks. The policy allows new operators to purchase network capacity in bulk from existing operators and the minister said this would boost competition, improve affordability and attract foreign investment.
Additionally, said the minister, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has approved district-level licenses for internet service providers, enabling local operators to legally provide internet services for villages, small towns and underserved areas.
Khawaja also updated press on the country’s connectivity via undersea cables, saying the SMW-6 is operational while two additional cables would go online this year. She claimed this would help minimize disruptions caused by cable cuts.
During the press conference, the minister clarified that temporary suspension of internet services is solely undertaken on security concerns and at the direction of the Interior Ministry. “Human lives are more important than connectivity,” she said.