Ufone Set to Launch 5G Services in Pakistan
Intelligence report synthesized for precision. Verified source updates below.
Detailed Report
Pakistan is set to see its third telecom operator launch 5G services, as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has granted Ufone permission to begin commercial operations.
The regulator has issued a commencement letter to the company, clearing a key requirement before the official rollout. Following this development, Ufone is expected to launch its 5G service within the next few days.
Under the standard regulatory process, any telecom operator that secures a 5G licence must first conduct testing on selected or random network sites. PTA then inspects those sites and checks whether they meet the required technical and service standards. Once the regulator is satisfied, it issues a commencement letter, which allows the operator to move ahead with the commercial service launch.
Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction was held on March 10, 2026, when PTA completed the allocation stage of the NGMS/5G auction. A total of 480 megahertz of spectrum was sold in that phase, with Jazz securing 190 megahertz, Ufone 180 megahertz, and Zong 110 megahertz. PTA later announced completion of the assignment stage on March 14, 2026, paving the way for network planning and commercial 5G rollout by the operators.
Jazz and Zong were the first two operators to move quickly after obtaining their licences. Both companies applied for commencement letters on the same day they secured their licences, and the PTA issued those letters the same day. On March 19, 2026, both operators announced the launch of their 5G services, marking the first commercial 5G deployments in Pakistan.
Reports later indicated that Jazz’s initial rollout covered around 180 sites, including Islamabad, provincial capitals, and major urban centres, while Zong said its commercial 5G service was being introduced in more than 16 cities.
With Ufone now receiving its commencement letter, Pakistan’s 5G market is set to expand further, making March 2026 a decisive month in the country’s shift toward next-generation mobile connectivity.
