Officials say the groundwork for 5G is moving at a faster pace, not only on the network side but also in ensuring that affordable devices are available in the market when services go live. As part of these early efforts, local assemblers have already produced around 500,000 5G smartphones, reflecting growing momentum at the device level.
Government authorities are keen to avoid a familiar problem: advanced services without affordable phones. To tackle this, manufacturers are being encouraged to introduce low cost 5G smartphones starting at around Rs30,000, making the technology accessible to a wider segment of the population.
In addition, the government is considering installment-based sales options to ease the financial burden on consumers amid challenging economic conditions.
According to officials, the spectrum auction is scheduled by the end of next month, while 5G services are expected to launch in major cities within the next five months. The rollout will then expand gradually to other parts of the country.
With local mobile phone assemblers/manufacturers targeting the availability of around 2 million 5G-enabled handsets by the time services are launched—and the government pushing for installment-based sales to improve affordability—officials said preparations were being…
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To ensure smooth coordination between network deployment and handset availability, senior government officials, including representatives from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), recently met with members of the Mobile Device Manufacturers (MDM) Association. The association represents nearly 35 local assemblers and manufacturers operating in Pakistan.
During the meeting, it was shared that five companies including Samsung, Vivo, and Oppo are already producing 5G handsets locally, while several others are preparing to enter the segment. In the past, demand for 5G phones remained weak due to the absence of services. However, officials noted that production has picked up sharply following the government’s decision to move forward with the 5G launch.
Authorities assured industry players that the government would help remove regulatory and operational bottlenecks, streamline import procedures, and ensure the timely issuance of Certificates of Conformity (CoC). These steps, they said, are vital to keeping the supply chain steady and predictable.
Participants agreed that regulatory stability and uninterrupted supply chains are critical to meeting handset production targets before the 5G launch. Manufacturers welcomed the proposal for installment plans and committed to boosting production to meet market demand.
Officials emphasized that affordable devices, alongside spectrum allocation and network readiness, will be the backbone of a successful 5G rollout in Pakistan. They expressed confidence that when 5G services finally go live, the market will be ready without shortages, delays, or price shocks.
