The first mobile spectrum auction in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) successfully concluded on 28 September 2021. It comprised 2x16 MHz of 1800 MHz spectrum and 2x30 MHz of 2100 MHz spectrum, and raised over USD 30 million in revenues.

The auction was designed in a way that allowed the mobile operators in AJ&K and GB to standardise their existing spectrum holdings to blocks of 2x10MHz block, in order to allow the operators to upgrade to more advanced technologies – 4G and ultimately 5G. An additional 2x10 MHz of 1800MHz spectrum was then split into two blocks of 2x5MHz and allocated using a clock auction. The 2100MHz spectrum was split into six blocks of 2x5MHz.

Four mobile operators participated in the award, and three operators - CMPak (Zong), Telenor and Ufone – won spectrum.

• CMPak (Zong), Telenor and Ufone won 2x1.2MHz of 1800MHz each to standardise their existing spectrum holdings.
• Two operators - CMPak (Zong) and PMCL (Jazz) – bid in the clock auction for two 2x5 MHz blocks of 1800 MHz spectrum. After 18 rounds of bidding, Zong won both blocks at the total price of  USD 14.4 million.
• Telenor won 2x15 MHz of 2100MHz and paid USD 13.1 million.

Yulia Kossykh at Frontier says: “Together with our partner Telconet, we are proud to have supported the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) in conducting this award. The new spectrum is critical for improving the quality of mobile services in AJ&K and GB and for progressing to more advanced mobile technologies.”

Frontier Economics has also supported the PTA in conducting the national award of 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum in Pakistan, which raised just under USD 300 million in revenues.

For more information, please contact media@frontier-economics.comor +44 (0) 20 7031 7000.