Lahore (Nut-Desk)

A proposal to revise the criteria for release of additional spectrum to telecom companies has been turned down by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet. The ECC has decided to auction the additional spectrum in line with the past practice and complete the auction by the end of September 2021.

It observed that recommendations of the committee, headed by the adviser to prime minister on institutional reforms and austerity, did not cover exchange risk and payment in installments by the operators. The economic decision-making committee had considered recommendations of the committee for “Release of NGMS (Next Generation Mobile Services) Spectrum in Pakistan for Improvement of Mobile Broadband Services amid Covid-19”.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication informed the economic decision-making body that another committee on payment terms for spectrum price/licence fee in Pakistan had also deliberated on the “Issues of Cellular Mobile Industry for Digital Enablement”.

The IT ministry requested the ECC to approve the policy directive for the auction of NGMS spectrum in Pakistan. The ECC was also requested to deliberate and decide on the recommendations given by the committee on the issues facing the telecom sector for digital enablement.

During the ensuing discussion, the IT & Telecom Division informed the economic decision-making body that recommendations of the committee, headed by the adviser to prime minister on institutional reforms and austerity, were different from the policy directive for the auction of NGMS spectrum whereas the policy directive was in line with the past practice.

The ECC considered the summary, submitted by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, and decided that the ministry should ensure completion of the auction process by the end of September 2021 in line with the past practice.