Pakistan today raised USD 1.128 billion in the auction of 3G and 4G licences to cellular service providers in the country, bringing it at par with the technology available in more than 160 countries.
Pakistan, the only major country in the region that still does not offer 3G services, sold its spectrum to four companies. No new foreign firm had bid.
Talking to media after the auction, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said the government has one more segment in 1800 MHz band and one license reserved for new entrants, which would fetch additional income.
The four winners of the 3G auction were Russian-owned Mobilink, Chinese-controlled Zong, Norway's Telenor, and Ufone - a company jointly owned by the Pakistan government and the UAE's Etisalat.
As for the 4G spectrum, the sole winner was Zong, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Warid Telecom Pakistan, another company operating in Pakistan, did not make any bids.
The introduction of 3G and 4G spectrum in the telecom sector is expected to revolutionise the way subscribers stay connected.
4G provides even faster speeds and ultra-broadband services, putting data-intensive services such as online gaming, high definition mobile TV and video conferencing within the reach of the average consumer.
For consumers, the auction will not immediately translate into the advent of 3G connectivity on their mobile phones.
In fact, the timeframe agreed upon between the PTA and mobile operators envisions 3G roll out within six months of the auction, Dawn News reported.
In the first phase, services will be available in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta and later on in other cities from each of the four provinces.
The second phase, which will start a year and a half after the auction, envisions the expansion of 3G services to about 80 more cities.
In the third phase, which will begin about four years from now, 90 per cent of all tehsil headquarters will have access to 3G services.
