Pakistan’s telecom regulator has introduced strict participation rules for the country’s upcoming 5G spectrum auction, requiring incumbent mobile operators to submit mandatory minimum bids in the first round or face immediate disqualification.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) clarified that operators must place bids for at least five lots each in the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands during the opening allocation stage. Failure to meet the minimum threshold will result in exclusion from the auction and forfeiture of the pre-bid deposit. Any bidder that does not submit valid bids will be treated as having placed zero bids across all categories.
The regulator noted that the requirement is intended to ensure serious participation and prevent speculative bidding, but does not guarantee spectrum allocation. Operators may ultimately secure fewer lots depending on competition during the auction process.
PTA also confirmed that applicants are not required to declare final spectrum demand at the application stage, with the pre-bid deposit serving only as a commitment to participate under the defined rules. The clarification comes as Pakistan prepares for its first 5G auction, aimed at accelerating next-generation network deployment and digital infrastructure development.
