According to recent news, the timely launch of 5G phone connectivity is contingent on political stability in Pakistan. This new development was confirmed by top officials in the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT). The previous government had intended to auction the 5G spectrum in the country by March 2023 at the latest, with the initial launch in the metropolises. However, the political crisis wasted nearly two months and impacted the initial plan, which was approved by the federal Minister for IT&T, Syed Amin Ul Haque.
When asked about the debut of 5G phone connection by the end of March 2023, he replied that the auction will take place before the country’s general elections. The question of the timing for the 5G auction should be referred to the MoITT, according to top officials at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). “If it is a priority item for the future government and the telecom industry, then the Authority can undertake the spectrum auction before the election,” the IT Ministry official added.
Furthermore, Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, stated that 5G phone connection would not make a financial case in the next two years since fewer than 1% of local users can purchase such devices.
The MoITT has studied seven bands for the country’s implementation of 5G phone connection. According to official papers, it is now evaluating the various possibilities for the timely deployment of 5G in Pakistan. In this regard, for the implementation of 5G services the following bands are being examined as low bands, mid bands, and high bands:
- 700 MHz
- 3 GHz
- 6 GHz
- 5 GHz
- MiIIi8meter waveband
- C-Band (3.6-4.2) GHz
- Unlicensed Backhaul Frequency bands (P2P & P2MP)
