ISLAMABAD: The government approved a new spectrum policy for commercial auction of next generation mobile and internet service after which connectivity of mobile phones and broadband facility will improve in urban as well as far-flung areas of the country.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the federal cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to a report, the Cabinet decided that the spectrum auction will be carried out for the first time for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) so that the people of these areas could also have better mobile phone and internet facilities. Both AJK and GB currently have 2G mobile service.
“For Pakistan, the cabinet approved auction of additional spectrum for 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz frequencies,” Information Technology Minister Syed Aminul Haq told Dawn after the cabinet meeting.
He said the base price for 1800 MHz frequency was set at $31 million per MHz while the price of 2100 MHz frequency will be $29m per MHz.
“When cel phone companies will get the additional frequency, their services will improve a lot and people will have faster and clear mobile and internet facility throughout the county even in the rural areas,” Haq said.
The PTA has granted six months permission to PMCL (Jazz) and CMPak (Zong) to conduct test and trial of 5G Technology under limited environment. The permission is limited to testing purposes only on a non-commercial basis.
