In Islamabad on May 16, 2024, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced 6 GHz spectrum band for unlicensed operations for RLAN in Pakistan. With this, Pakistan has become the 10th country in Asia Pacific to embrace 6 GHz for Wi-Fi. As of right now, only 60 countries worldwide have unlocked either fully or partially 6 GHz for RLAN services.

This announcement was made at the titled event “Unlocking Pakistan’s Connectivity: Enablement of Next-Gen Wi-Fi in 6 GHz Band”. Chairman PTA Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman said that this development has positioned Pakistan as a regional frontrunner in embracing next-generation RLAN (Wi-Fi) technology, joining a select group of fewer-thinking nations in Asia to unlock the transformative potential of Wi-Fi 6E. At the event, Speakers from META, Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA), Jazz, Nayatel and Huawei shed light on the benefits of embracing Wi-Fi 6E in Pakistan.

It should be noted that before this announcement, Wi-Fi in Pakistan operates in only two bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, with available bandwidths of 100 MHz and 150 MHz. However, these Industrial, Scientific & Medical (ISM) bands are accommodating multiple applications, including everyday technologies like Microwave Oven, Bluetooth, and Cordless Phones, co-exist with Wi-Fi, resulting in congestion. Wi-Fi 6E will help to overcome the congestion and latency issues. PTA, under the government’s mission of “Digital Pakistan,” aims to ignite a wave of digital innovation to empower businesses and bridge the digital divide by providing more reliable and high-speed internet access, ultimately fostering a more inclusive digital economy within Pakistan.