How to Get a PTA Telecom Tower Provider Licence in Pakistan: US$50,000, 15 Years
Get a PTA Telecom Tower Provider licence in Pakistan: US$50,000 nationally, US$20,000 per province, 15 years, a yearly tower rollout and a start certificate.
Short answer: A national Telecom Tower Provider (TTP) licence from PTA costs US$50,000 as the initial fee plus Rs 200,000 to apply. It runs for 15 years and needs a company registered with SECP. A provincial licence costs US$20,000, or US$5,000 for Balochistan. PTA says approval takes about two to three weeks once your papers are complete.
Mobile towers do not all belong to the phone companies. A company can build towers and rent them out to operators, and PTA licenses that business separately. If you plan to build towers, indoor antenna systems or fibre links for operators, the licence you need depends on what you build.
We downloaded PTA's frequently asked questions sheet for Telecom Infrastructure Provider (TIP) and Telecom Tower Provider (TTP) licences on 14 October 2026 and read all 30 answers. The figures below come from that sheet.
TTP covers towers and TIP covers fibre, links and earth stations
A TTP licence lets you build, own and rent out telecom towers, and also indoor antenna systems known as DAS (distributed antenna systems). A TIP licence is wider: it covers fibre cable, radio links, earth stations, satellite hubs, landing stations for undersea cables, and towers, poles, ducts and pits that go with them.
Neither licence lets you sell a telecom or broadcasting service to the public. You lease or sell to operators that PTA has licensed. A company that wants to sell internet to homes needs a different licence; see our guide on the PTA district internet licence.
Only a private limited company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) can apply. Individuals cannot.
The fees depend on the area and the licence type
PTA lists the processing fee and initial fee for each licence and area. National licences cost the most. Provincial TTP licences and the AJ&K and Gilgit-Baltistan licences cost much less. The initial fee is paid before the licence takes effect.
| Licence | Processing fee | Initial licence fee | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTP, national | Rs 200,000 | US$50,000 | 15 years |
| TTP, province (not Balochistan) | Rs 50,000 | US$20,000 | 15 years |
| TTP, Balochistan | Rs 50,000 | US$5,000 | 15 years |
| TTP, AJ&K and Gilgit-Baltistan | Rs 50,000 | Rs 10,000 per region | 15 years |
| TIP, Pakistan | Rs 200,000 | US$100,000 | 20 years |
| TIP, AJ&K and Gilgit-Baltistan | Rs 50,000 | US$4,000 | 20 years |
The dollar fees can be paid in the rupee equivalent. After the licence is in force you pay an annual regulatory fee of 0.5 per cent of gross revenue from tower and DAS facilities, less PTA mandated payments. A TIP licensee also pays 0.5 per cent into the research fund and 1.5 per cent into the Universal Service Fund. Annual dues are payable within 120 days of the end of the financial year, and late payment adds 2 per cent a month.
You must build a set number of towers every year
A TTP licence carries rollout targets. A national licensee picks one option: 10 towers a year, or 5 DAS systems a year, or a mix where one DAS counts as two towers. A provincial licensee builds 2 towers or 1 DAS a year. The options run for five years.
- National TTP: 10 towers a year, or 5 DAS a year, or a hybrid such as 6 towers and 2 DAS a year.
- Provincial TTP: 2 towers a year, or 1 DAS a year.
- TIP on a fibre plan: 300 km of own cable within six years, 60 km added every year from year two.
- TIP on a tower or radio link plan: 50 towers or links in five years, 10 a year.
- TIP on an earth station plan: one earth station within two years.
PTA also says acquiring existing towers counts as establishing them for licence purposes. We do not know how it treats a partial purchase.
How to apply and when you can start renting
File the application on PTA's online system, OASIS, at eservices.pta.gov.pk, with the checklist from PTA's Infrastructure Licence page. PTA's sheet says an award takes about two to three weeks after your documents are complete and evaluated.
- Register a private limited company with SECP.
- Prepare the technical and financial plan and the checklist documents.
- Apply on OASIS and pay the processing fee.
- Pay the initial licence fee before the effective date.
- Build the first towers, then give PTA 30 days written notice before you plan to start.
- Pass PTA's inspection and receive the Commencement Certificate.
You must apply for the Commencement Certificate within 18 months of the effective date. Until you hold it, you may not offer any tower facility to operators or take any payment from them. That rule is firm in PTA's sheet.
Where this licence touches the public
Tower companies sit between the operator and your signal. A new tower can bring 4G or 5G to a weak area. Operators still choose where to rent, and PTA's tower rules do not give residents a say. For the public side, see how weak mobile signal at home can be fixed, and what the 5G spectrum auction sold to the operators.
Common questions
Can an individual get a PTA tower provider licence?
No. PTA says only a private limited company registered with SECP can apply for a TIP or TTP licence.
How long does a TTP licence last?
It lasts 15 years. A TIP licence lasts 20 years.
Can a tower company sell internet to customers?
No. PTA says a TIP or TTP licensee cannot provide any telecom or broadcasting service. It leases or sells facilities to licensed operators.
When can I start renting towers to operators?
Only after PTA issues the Commencement Certificate. Apply for it within 18 months and give 30 days written notice of your start date.
What if I pay my annual fee late?
PTA adds 2 per cent a month on the unpaid amount, for each month or part of a month after the due date.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026. Source: PTA, Telecom Infrastructure Provider (TIP) and Telecom Tower Provider (TTP) Licenses, Frequently Asked Questions, five page sheet on pta.gov.pk, which states that the Act, rules and licence terms prevail if they differ. We did not open the licence template or the fee zip file that PTA links beside it, and we did not apply. Fees can change, so confirm them on PTA's Infrastructure Licence page.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
