On Wednesday, Major General (R) Hafeezur Rehman, Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), announced the auction date for 5G services. During his address to the NA Standing Committee on IT and Telecom in Islamabad today, he announced that 5G would be launched by April 2025.
Additionally, he mentioned that the PTA is actively attracting new companies to participate in the auction and aiming to expand the market and enhance competition. The chairman reassured everyone that despite the current challenges, including the ongoing recovery of the submarine cable, which may extend until August 27, the planned system upgrades will not cause further disruptions to internet services.
PTA to Open Technical Bids for 5G Auction Consultancy Next Month
For over a week now, the nationwide internet outage has widely disrupted services.
The Chairman of PTA stated that telecom companies currently utilize 265 MHz of spectrum. The regulator plans to make an additional 567 MHz available for 5G services and is trying to persuade the government to offer this spectrum at a lower cost.
The chairman also noted that Saudi Arabia sold its spectrum at $90,000 per megahertz, while Pakistan previously sold 4G spectrum at $29 million per megahertz. He stated that the aim is to keep the cost of spectrum low to benefit local consumers.
Conclusion
The announcement of a 5G launch date by the PTA Chairman marks a significant milestone in the advancement of telecommunications technology. As 5G networks become operational, they promise to revolutionize various aspects of daily life, including faster internet speeds, improved connectivity, and the potential for new innovations in fields like smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and telemedicine. The official launch date will likely generate excitement and anticipation among consumers and businesses alike, setting the stage for the deployment and adoption of 5G technology.