All five int’l firms qualify for 5G spectrum auction

01 Oct, 2024

ISLAMABAD: All of the five international consultants qualified in technical bids for providing consultancy services to government of Pakistan in 5G spectrum auction/ release of IMT Spectrum for improvement of Next Generation Mobile Broadband Services in the country.

The financial bids of the five firms would be opened on October 3, 2024, official sources confirmed. The government is planning to complete 5G spectrum auction latest by April 2025.

Five international consultants/firms had submitted their technical and financial bids which included; Aetha Consulting Limited; Detecon Consulting FZ-LLC; Frontier Economics Limited; KomKonsult (Private) Limited; and National Economic Research Associates Inc.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) undertook a detailed evaluation of the technical in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.

The PTA had short-listed 10 international consultants/JVs/firms, who had submitted expression of interest (EOI) for providing services to government of Pakistan in 5G spectrum auction/release of IMT Spectrum for improvement of Next Generation Mobile Broadband Services in the country.

As many as 11 international consultants/JVs/firms had submitted EOI, which also included a JHK Construction company, which according to sources submitted EOI by mistake as it is construction company. The PTA dropped JHK Company and short-listed other 10 companies.

The consultant will advise on needed policy actions and reforms for increased infrastructure investment, broadband proliferation and business/sector sustainability and growth.

Compare Pakistan’s existing cellular/IMT spectrum assignments with regional practices and accordingly highlight gap and suggest phase-wise auction of paired spectrum in 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz bands and unpaired spectrum in 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, 3500 MHz bands.

Per MHz spectrum price determination for spectrum bands mentioned in (b) above in USD and PKR with future projections of next 3x years using both demand and supply side models, along with the innovative payment options like flexible/ dynamic installment plan. Scenario-based various options for per MHz price vis-à-vis payment terms, rollout obligations, etc.

Suggest recommendations based on international standards to limit human exposure to electromagnetic fields and mitigation techniques related to health hazards specifically in denser 5G networks.

Further, a report on valuation of spectrum including base price in USD and PKR for paired spectrum in 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz bands and unpaired spectrum in 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, 3500 MHz bands with future projections for the next 3x years.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

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