Pakistan Telecom Authority Advances Spectrum Sharing Amid 5G Tax Hurdles

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has submitted a Spectrum Sharing Framework to the Ministry of IT and Telecom for approval. The proposal would let operators share a range of frequency bands—including 700 MHz, 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz—to improve the efficiency of 4G and 5G networks, cut infrastructure costs and accelerate coverage in urban and rural areas. The same regulator also introduced a WLAN Framework that opens the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, supporting Wi‑Fi 6E and Wi‑Fi 7 services.

At a public‑private dialogue in Islamabad, officials and industry leaders warned that excessive taxation and lingering red tape could jeopardise the 5G rollout. Operators face taxes of roughly 35‑40 % of revenue and right‑of‑way fees that previously accounted for about 30 % of telecom investment costs. The government has begun removing some right‑of‑way charges, while PTA is directing firms to develop satellite links and sync network timing with China to reduce dependence on vulnerable submarine cables. Participants highlighted that a modest 5G deployment could raise productivity by 2‑3 % annually, adding roughly $20 billion to Pakistan’s economy, and up to a 5 % boost if integrated across health, education and industry sectors.