The government is going to launch 4G broadband services in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir today.
Launching 4G broadband services in GB and AJK is a great step of government. Sources in the ministry of information technology said the government had decided to open up “digital roads” in these regions and the auction proceeds for the new spectrum would be finalized by the middle of May.
“The auction of 4G licenses will be held before June 30 and it will not only bring high-speed internet to GB and AJK but also the benefits of higher revenues for their governments,” the sources said.
Recently, the IT ministry and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) briefed Prime Minister Imran Khan, the meeting was also attended by the GB Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid and senior officials of the AJK government and the GB secretariat.
Read More: 3G, 4G users in Pakistan reach 82.7 million by end July 2020: PTA
“The meeting was informed that traditional restrictions related to the security have been relaxed and high-speed internet services will be provided to almost all areas of GB and AJK, expectedly before the end of this year,” the sources added.
Moreover, the UK-based consulting firm Frontier Economics Ltd is working on the parameters and mode of the spectrum auction of 1,800 MHz and 2,100 MHz bands across the country, PTA informed the meeting. “The same firm has been tasked to determine the base price, policy and other requirements related to auction of 4G licenses in GB and AJK,”
The senior PTA official maintained that the basic roadmap for the two auctions will be finalized by the middle of May. “There will be one auction for new spectrum for the whole country, and another for GB and AJK.”
