Pakistan’s largest telecom operator Jazz says it will begin a phased rollout of 5G services, targeting 1,000 network sites by mid-August and 2,500 sites by the end of 2026 as the country moves closer to commercial next-generation connectivity deployment.
The announcement follows Pakistan’s spectrum auction in March, where the government sold 480 MHz of telecom spectrum for approximately $507 million, laying the groundwork for nationwide 5G expansion in a market of more than 240 million people.
Jazz President Kazim Mujtaba said the operator has already started importing 5G equipment and is currently testing services on nearly 180 network sites. Commercial scaling is expected to begin from July as device compatibility and ecosystem readiness improve.
“We will expand in a phased, disciplined manner — targeting 1,000 sites by mid-August and 2,500 by year-end,” Mujtaba told Arab News. “But only where it delivers real value. Anything else is noise.”
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Director-General for Licensing Aamir Shahzad confirmed that operators are expected to deploy 5G visibly within the next three to four months. Under current rollout requirements, operators have been given one year to activate 1,000 sites, while the broader national plan expects approximately 3,000 new network sites to be added annually.
Despite the momentum, ecosystem limitations remain a challenge. iPhone users in Pakistan may initially be unable to access 5G services until Apple approves carrier bundle updates for local operators, a process required for enabling network compatibility on Apple devices.
Jazz says its spectrum portfolio currently includes 284.4 MHz across low, mid, and high-band frequencies, with the addition of 700 MHz spectrum expected to improve rural coverage and indoor connectivity.
However, Mujtaba warned that spectrum alone will not solve Pakistan’s digital inclusion challenges. He argued that affordability, device access, and supportive policy frameworks remain equally important.
“Devices, affordability, and policy alignment matter just as much,” he said. “Without that, we risk building capacity the country cannot fully use.”
The operator also criticized Pakistan’s telecom taxation structure, stating that the sector faces an effective tax burden of nearly 45 percent despite serving as a foundational layer of the digital economy.
Pakistan’s government sees 5G as a critical enabler for digital transformation, improved broadband access, and the expansion of IT-enabled services across the country.
