The Government of Pakistan has engaged NERA, a renowned United States-based international consultancy firm, for consultancy services in the upcoming 5G auction.
NERA was selected for its strong technical bid, tying with Aetha Consulting Limited, while presenting the lowest financial bid of $0.750 million. This decision marks a significant step towards enhancing Next Generation Mobile Broadband Services in the country.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a letter of intent (LOI) to NERA, which is required to respond within seven working days. The firm will assist the government in expediting the planning and completion of the 5G spectrum auction by April 2025 as per the ProPakistani report.
NERA, with its headquarters in the US and additional offices in Europe and the Far East, is highly regarded for its expertise in economic and commercial modeling for the telecom industry and government organizations, particularly in spectrum evaluation.
The consultancy aims to recommend essential policy actions and reforms to bolster infrastructure investment, broadband proliferation, and ensure the sustainability and growth of the telecom sector.
Five International consultants submitted bids
All five international consultants who submitted bids qualified on the technical aspects, with financial bids revealed on October 3, 2024. Following a thorough due diligence process by the Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), no concerns were raised regarding NERA’s evaluations, leading to the issuance of the LOI.
The consultancy will not only compare Pakistan’s current cellular and IMT spectrum assignments with regional practices but will also identify gaps and recommend a phase-wise auction of paired and unpaired spectrum in various frequency bands.
This includes 700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz for paired spectrum, and 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, 3500 MHz for unpaired spectrum.
Additionally, NERA will develop a detailed report on spectrum valuation, including base prices in USD and PKR, with future projections over the next three years. The consultancy will also explore innovative payment options, such as flexible installment plans, to facilitate the auction process.
