The Government of Pakistan has received expressions of interest (EOIs) from as many as eleven international consultants, joint ventures, and firms for providing services related to the 5G spectrum auction and the release of IMT Spectrum to enhance Next Generation Mobile Broadband Services in the country. The government is aiming to complete the 5G spectrum auction by April 2025, as revealed by well-placed sources.
Among the firms that submitted EOIs are Aetha Consulting Ltd & Specure GmbH, Coleago Consulting Limited, Communicators Globe (Pvt.) Ltd, and Cenerva Ltd, Detecon Consulting FZ-LLC, VTT Global, and NE&S, as well as Frontier Economics Ltd. In addition, it was noted that a construction company, JHK Construction, mistakenly submitted an EOI, as it was not intended for this process.
In response to the advertisement published by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in both national and international media, as well as on the PPRA website, a total of 11 EOIs were received from reputed consulting firms through EPADS. The PTA will shortlist the firms and issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the shortlisted consultants.
The selected consultant will play a pivotal role in conducting stakeholder consultations and providing professional analysis and advice to the government of Pakistan. Their expertise will be crucial in ensuring the transparent and successful completion of the 5G/IMT auction process, thereby averting collusion and ensuring healthy competition in the auction process.
Furthermore, the terms of reference (ToRs) for the consultancy firms outline the need to devise a strategy to maximize the release of IMT Spectrum for the proliferation of technology-neutral Next Generation Mobile Broadband Services in Pakistan. This includes considerations of international best practices suited for Pakistan’s economy, society, and telecommunications market.
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The consultancy will also focus on regulatory consistency for investors, mobile broadband proliferation, future sustainability of the telecommunication sector, and socio-economic development for the benefit of the country. Additionally, the ToRs involve valuation of spectrum for available bands, targeting overall economic growth, incentivizing foreign investment, and considering the impact of past auctions and international best practices.
Moreover, the ToRs seek advice on policy actions and reforms for increased infrastructure investment, broadband proliferation, and business sector sustainability and growth, as well as comparing Pakistan’s existing cellular/IMT spectrum assignments with regional practices and suggesting phase-wise auctions of paired and unpaired spectrum in various bands.
The consultancy will also include the determination of per MHz spectrum prices for specified bands in USD and PKR, along with future projections, as well as recommendations to limit human exposure to electromagnetic fields and mitigation techniques related to health hazards in denser 5G networks.
In conclusion, the Government of Pakistan’s initiation of the process to hire international consultants for the release of IMT Spectrum is a significant step towards advancing technological infrastructure. The successful implementation of 5G services in the country will mark a major leap in Pakistan’s technological advancement.
