Pakistan is preparing to introduce a spectrum sharing policy aimed at expanding mobile network coverage in the country’s remote and underserved regions. The Ministry of Information Technology has forwarded the draft policy to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for review.
Once implemented, telecom operators will be able to share spectrum and provide services from a single tower, reducing infrastructure costs while extending coverage.
The policy comes in the wake of Pakistan’s recent 5G spectrum auction, which increased the country’s total available spectrum from 274 MHz to 750 MHz. The expansion created a need to revisit the existing regulatory framework and allow operators to cooperate in areas where network coverage is limited.
How Will It Work
Under the proposed policy:
- Operators can share spectrum in weak-coverage areas.
- Multiple networks can serve users from a single tower.
- Infrastructure costs are lowered, making rural coverage more feasible.
Ministry officials say the goal is to improve service quality while connecting communities that have long lacked reliable mobile access.
If implemented effectively, the policy could help students in remote villages attend online classes, allow small businesses to reach broader markets, and give residents in far-flung areas the ability to stay connected with family and friends.
The PTA is reviewing new spectrum bands introduced in the 5G auction. Formal rollout will begin once the review is complete. Analysts stress that the success of the policy depends on genuine operator cooperation rather than superficial compliance.
