Pakistan’s 5G race is officially heating up.
Two major telecom operators, Ufone and Zong, have deposited $15 million each as pre-bid earnest money with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) ahead of the much-anticipated 5G spectrum auction scheduled for March 10.
With just three days left before the February 27 deadline, the total pre-bid deposits have already reached $30 million. Industry insiders say market leader Jazz is expected to submit its $15 million deposit “within a day or so,” as sitting out the 5G auction is simply not an option for the country’s largest telecom operator.
The government is reportedly targeting over $600 million in potential proceeds from the auction, depending on how competitive the bidding turns out to be.
PTA has clarified that the auction will be considered successful if at least 50% of the total 597 MHz spectrum on offer is sold. That means roughly 300 MHz needs to be allocated.
Here’s the interesting part: If three operators participate, around 300 MHz will effectively be sold automatically, meaning the minimum success benchmark would already be met. This auction is all about setting the pace for Pakistan’s digital future.
All the 5G promises include:
- Ultra-fast mobile broadband
- Low-latency applications
- Industrial IoT
- Smart cities and enterprise-grade connectivity
However, operators are entering the race at a time when the telecom sector is facing high taxation, energy costs, and margin pressures. How aggressively they bid on March 10 will reveal a lot about their confidence in Pakistan’s digital economy.
With Ufone and Zong already locked in and Jazz expected to follow, the 5G battlefield is nearly set. The next three days could determine whether Pakistan’s biggest spectrum auction in years turns into a competitive showdown, or a cautious play.
