Pakistan's 5G Spectrum Auction in Numbers: 480 MHz Sold, US$509.6 Million, Rs 142.6 Billion
PTA's 2026 5G spectrum auction sold 480 of 597.2 MHz for US$509.6 million (Rs 142.6 billion). Read the results by band, the timeline and when winners pay.
Short answer: Pakistan's 5G spectrum auction sold 480 MHz of the 597.2 MHz offered, which is 80.4 percent. It raised US$509.6 million, or Rs 142.6 billion, according to PTA's results sheet. Three bidders took part. Licences were granted on 19 March 2026, and winners got a one year break before they must pay.
Spectrum is the radio space that phone networks use to carry calls and data. Operators must buy it from the state. Where spectrum is cheap and plentiful, networks can grow faster. The auction decided how much each bidder paid, and what they now owe in rollout and speed.
We read PTA's results sheet, its auction page and the Information Memorandum on PTA's website on 13 October 2026. The results sheet in text form does not show the bidders' names against the money, so this page does not say which company paid which amount.
See the auction results in one table
PTA's results sheet shows total revenue of US$509.6 million from four bands: 700, 2300, 2600 and 3500 MHz. The 2600 MHz band earned the most, at US$249.5 million, followed by 3500 MHz at US$145.1 million. The sheet shows no income from the 1800 and 2100 MHz bands.
| Band | Revenue (US$ million) | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| 700 MHz | 65.0 | 12.8% |
| 2300 MHz | 50.0 | 9.8% |
| 2600 MHz | 249.5 | 49.0% |
| 3500 MHz | 145.1 | 28.5% |
| Total | 509.6 | 100% |
The shares are our arithmetic from PTA's figures. The sheet also gives three bidder totals, US$239.38 million, US$156.75 million and US$113.47 million, which add up to the same US$509.6 million. In rupees, PTA gives a total of Rs 142.6 billion, which works out to about Rs 280 per dollar.
Know how much of the spectrum found a buyer
PTA offered 597.2 MHz and allocated 480 MHz. That is 80.4 percent, so about 117 MHz went unsold. The largest offer was in the 3500 MHz band, 28 lots of 10 MHz each, and the 2600 MHz band, 19 lots of 10 MHz each.
Reserve prices were the starting prices for each lot. The Information Memorandum set them at US$6.5 million per MHz in the 700 MHz band, US$14 million per MHz in 1800 and 2100 MHz, US$1 million per MHz at 2300 MHz, US$1.25 million per MHz at 2600 MHz and US$0.65 million per MHz at 3500 MHz.
The high price per MHz on 1800 and 2100 MHz may be why no income is shown there, but PTA does not say so and we cannot confirm it.
Follow the timeline from policy to licence
The process took about ten weeks from the information memorandum to the licences. PTA received three applications on 27 February, named qualified bidders on 3 March, finished the allocation stage on 10 March, the assignment stage on 12 March, and granted licences on 19 March 2026.
- 6 January 2026: the federal government issued the policy directive for IMT spectrum.
- 9 January 2026: PTA released the Information Memorandum and licence template.
- 13 February 2026: PTA notified changes to the memorandum and the licence.
- 27 February 2026: PTA received three applications.
- 3 March 2026: PTA announced the qualified bidders.
- 10 and 12 March 2026: the allocation and assignment stages were completed.
- 19 March 2026: licences were granted.
PTA's auction page says the cellular mobile operators will begin 5G commercial services in phases.
Understand when and how the winners pay
The winners get a one year moratorium after the licence date with no payment and no mark-up. After that they pick full payment by the first anniversary, or at least 50 percent by then and the rest in five equal yearly instalments with mark-up at one year KIBOR plus 3 percent.
The fee is set in rupees. The memorandum fixes the dollar to rupee rate at the National Bank of Pakistan's selling rate on the day before the auction. A winner can pay the balance early without a penalty, though mark-up is payable on the balance until then.
Each winner must also give four separate performance bank guarantees, one for each rollout phase. PTA can cash a guarantee if the rollout is missed. The licences run for 15 years and cover Pakistan without Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
What this means for a mobile user
For most users the auction changes little this week. It sets the ground for more 5G towers and for speed targets over the next nine years. The coverage you can use today is still limited to a few cities.
For rollout duties, see PTA's 5G rollout orders. For where 5G works and what it costs, see 5G coverage in Pakistan and 5G packages. For Apple phones, see iPhone 5G in Pakistan. Ufone's position is in Ufone 5G status.
Common questions
How much money did Pakistan's 5G auction raise?
US$509.6 million, which PTA's sheet gives as Rs 142.6 billion. The 2600 MHz band raised the most, at US$249.5 million.
How much spectrum was sold?
480 MHz out of 597.2 MHz offered, or 80.4 percent, according to PTA's results sheet.
When were the 5G licences granted?
On 19 March 2026, after the allocation stage on 10 March and the assignment stage on 12 March.
How many companies bid?
PTA received three applications on 27 February 2026 and announced qualified bidders on 3 March. We did not see each bidder's name on the results sheet text.
When do winners have to pay?
After a one year moratorium. They then pay in full by the first anniversary, or at least half by then and the rest over five equal yearly instalments with mark-up.
How long do the licences last?
Fifteen years from the licence effective date, renewable on the terms in force at the time.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read PTA's Spectrum Auction Results sheet, its auction page and the Information Memorandum. We could not read the bidder names against the amounts, or the MHz won per bidder, because they did not copy as text.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
