Pakistan expands 5G to 24 cities after $509m spectrum auction

October 20, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan has expanded its digital infrastructure with the deployment of 5G services across 24 major cities, following a $509m spectrum auction that added 480 MHz of spectrum to support growing demand for connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI).

The country has also deployed more than 234,000 kilometres of optical fibre cable nationwide, while the abolition of right-of-way (RoW) charges is aimed at accelerating fibre expansion and reducing deployment costs.

These developments were outlined by Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja during a keynote panel session at the Global Digital & AI Summit in Seoul, South Korea, titled “The Last 2.6 Billion: Is Universal Connectivity a Broken Promise in the AI Era?”

The minister said Pakistan viewed AI primarily as a network challenge under the Prime Minister’s Digital Nation Pakistan vision, highlighting the need for reliable and accessible connectivity to support the country's digital transformation, according to APP.

She noted that around 70% of Pakistan's population was under the age of 30, while telecom subscribers had crossed 200 million, underscoring the growing need for quality digital services.

Pakistan conducted its largest-ever spectrum auction in March 2026, raising $509 million through the acquisition of 480 MHz of spectrum. The auction increased telecom operators' spectrum holdings from 274 MHz to 754 MHz, an achievement recognised by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT).

Following the auction, 5G services were introduced at more than 1,700 sites across 24 major cities within six months, delivering average speeds of 130 Mbps. Nationwide download speeds also increased by 68.1% over the preceding two years.

To strengthen international connectivity, Pakistan is linked to the global network through six submarine cables with a combined capacity exceeding 17 terabits per second (Tbps).

Work is also underway on the CAREC Digital Corridor, which is intended to connect Central Asia with the wider world.

The minister highlighted satellite technology, particularly direct-to-device connectivity, as an important solution for underserved and geographically challenging areas, including the deserts of Balochistan and the mountainous regions of northern Pakistan.

She said the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) were finalising the satellite communications and licensing framework.

Satellite services, she added, would complement rather than replace terrestrial telecommunications networks, particularly in areas where conventional infrastructure is difficult to deploy.

Pakistan has also introduced a framework for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and an Infrastructure Sharing Policy to encourage investment and improve the use of existing telecommunications infrastructure.

On digital inclusion, Shaza Fatima said the Universal Service Fund (USF) had extended connectivity to more than 38 million people across 22,100 settlements in over 110 districts.

She further noted that 17.6 million smartphones were assembled locally in 2025, while smartphone instalment plans were being introduced to improve affordability and access to digital devices.

Citing World Bank reports, the minister said Pakistan's gender gap in mobile connectivity had narrowed significantly from 25% to 8%. The country's position in the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) ICT Development Index 2026 had also improved by 27 places.

Concluding her remarks, Shaza Fatima described universal connectivity as an unfinished commitment rather than a broken promise, arguing that greater cooperation and shared investment risks were essential to connecting underserved populations.

She said the technology and financing needed to expand connectivity already existed, adding that extending access to the world's 2.6 billion unconnected people could create new opportunities for customers, creators and innovators, with Pakistan prepared to participate in such partnerships.

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