ISLAMABAD ( ABRAR MUSTAFA )
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will award 3G & 4G mobile spectrum licenses to the successful mobile operating bidders on 22nd May, 2014 at Islamabad.
In the very transparent auction held by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in April, 2014 the government raised $902.82 million in the first auction for 3G mobile phone networks and $210 million for the 4G spectrum. Winning mobile operators for 3G License include Mobilink, Telenor and Ufone, while as Zong was declared successful for both 3G and 4G Licenses.
CMPAK (ZONG ) and Mobilink deposited full payement today. Mobilink will get 3G spectrum and Zong that won the 3G/4G spectrum in open bidding last month will acquire both licenses. Both companies today deposited more than US $ 800 million at Pakistan Telecom Authority. Yesterday all four mobile companies deposited more than US $ 110 million as advance tax in FBR. Pakistan was able to get more than US $ 1100 million in 3G/4G auction held last month.
Pakistan has more than 132 million mobile phone subscribers and has now been provided the latest mobile communication technology to its users. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif previously directed Ministry of Information Technology to speed up the introduction process of both 3G and 4G technologies in Pakistan simultaneously to catch up with the rest of the world.
The issuance of these licenses will provide Rs. 260 billion additional revenue to the exchequer and at the same time open up thousands of employment opportunities in the country.