GSMA Applauds Pakistan for Targeting Mid-Band ‘Sweet Spot’ for 5G Launch

GSM Association (GSMA) has said that Pakistan’s recent spectrum auction marks a major step toward the country’s 5G rollout and long-term digital growth, emphasizing the importance of timely spectrum allocation and supportive policy measures.

Pakistan concluded a multi-band spectrum auction this week, allocating 480 MHz across four bands—700 MHz, 2.3 GHz, 2.6 GHz, and 3.5 GHz—to Jazz, Ufone 4G, and Zong CMPak Ltd.

With this allocation, the country’s total assigned mobile spectrum has increased from 274 MHz to 754 MHz—nearly tripling previous levels—laying a stronger foundation for next-generation mobile services.

According to GSMA, expanding mid-band spectrum is essential for launching 5G services while also enhancing the performance and capacity of existing 4G networks. Improved connectivity is expected to accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation, foster innovation, and support broader economic growth by expanding access to mobile broadband and digital services.

The association noted that several policy measures contributed to the successful auction, including pricing spectrum in local currency to reduce exchange rate risks, setting conservative reserve prices to encourage sustainable investment, and maintaining open consultation between the government and industry stakeholders.

GSMA also acknowledged the contributions of Shaza Fatima Khawaja, the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication Pakistan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, the Frequency Allocation Board, and the Spectrum Advisory Committee for adopting a forward-looking approach to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure.