The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has forwarded the Spectrum Sharing Framework to the Ministry of IT and Telecom after finalizing and approving it under Clause 8.16 of the Telecom Policy 2015, in a move aimed at improving spectrum efficiency and accelerating the rollout of next-generation mobile services.
According to PTA documents, the framework is intended to improve the use of limited spectrum resources, speed up the deployment of 4G and 5G services, reduce duplication of infrastructure, and lower overall network rollout costs.
The updated draft is now awaiting policy-level approval from the federal government. Once approved, the framework will allow eligible telecom license holders to share assigned spectrum across multiple frequency bands, including 700, 850, 900, 1800, 2100, 2300, 2600, and 3500 MHz.
The framework allows spectrum sharing between licensees of the same category, while requiring operators to continue meeting existing rollout targets, Quality of Service standards, and other regulatory obligations.
PTA said the move is part of broader efforts to improve digital expansion across Pakistan and make more efficient use of national telecom resources.
The development comes alongside other recent policy measures aimed at improving digital connectivity. These include the Wireless Local Area Network Framework 2024, which opened the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use to support next-generation Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies.
In another step to increase digital penetration, PTA began issuing District Level Class Licenses for Internet Services from January 1, 2026. These licenses are valid for 10 years and are restricted to one district per entity to promote local entrepreneurship. The licensing framework includes an application processing fee of Rs. 20,000 and an initial license fee of Rs. 300,000.
At the same time, federal and provincial authorities have introduced measures to support telecom infrastructure growth by removing Right of Way charges.
Following directives issued by the prime minister in 2025, institutions including the Capital Development Authority, National Highway Authority, and several provincial governments issued notifications to abolish or reduce Right of Way charges to zero.
Punjab, Balochistan, and Sindh have specifically moved to eliminate these charges to encourage the expansion of fiber optic infrastructure.
While most federal and provincial authorities have implemented the waiver, issues related to cantonment areas remain unresolved. The prime minister has directed the minister for economic affairs to coordinate with the Ministry of Defence to address the remaining issues.
Telecom operators have indicated plans to significantly expand fixed-line infrastructure in the coming years following these cost-cutting measures.
