The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued draft Internet of Things and Low Power Wide Area Networks (IoT-LPWAN) Licensing Regulations 2026 for public consultation. The draft was circulated on 5 November 2026, and PTA is accepting comments until 20 November 2026.
The draft creates a licensing framework for companies that run IoT networks in Pakistan — the low-power networks that connect smart meters, farm sensors, vehicle trackers, home automation devices and industrial monitors. It sets out four categories: a commercial licence, two registrations and a trial registration, each with its own fee and term.
It is important to be clear about the status of these rules: they are a draft. Nothing in them is final yet, and the fees and conditions can still change after the industry responds. What follows is what the draft proposes, not what the law says today.
The Four Categories
| Category | Who it is for | Fee | Processing fee | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IoT-LPWAN Licence | Companies providing IoT services to third parties over the LPWAN bands | Rs. 100,000 | Rs. 5,000 (non-refundable) | 5 years |
| Private Network Registration | Private networks on a single premises, such as a farm, factory or campus | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 5,000 | 5 years |
| Platform and Application Registration | Firms that develop or provide an application, software platform or digital service using data from IoT devices | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 5,000 | 5 years |
| Trial and R&D Registration | Companies and organisations testing IoT technology on a single premises | Rs. 2,000 | Rs. 1,000 (non-refundable) | 1 year |
The main commercial category is the IoT-LPWAN licence, for any company providing Internet of Things services to third parties over the designated low-power wide-area network bands. It would run for five years, with a non-refundable processing fee of Rs. 5,000 and an initial licence fee of Rs. 100,000.
The Rs. 100,000 fee is considerably lower than the Rs. 300,000 fee under the earlier district-level framework. The lower fee could encourage more startups and smaller operators to enter the market.
Frequencies and Technical Rules
The draft proposes two frequency bands for these networks: 433.05 to 434.79 MHz and 920 to 925 MHz, with maximum transmission power capped at one watt. Operations would run on a secondary, non-interference, non-protection basis, which means IoT devices must not interfere with other users of the spectrum and cannot claim protection from interference themselves. The Frequency Allocation Board can look at exclusive assignments case by case.
All backend traffic must pass through a PTA-licensed Local Access Provider. That includes satellite backhaul — operators using satellite connections to transfer data between their network equipment must still route the traffic through a licensed Local Access Provider.
Licensed companies would have to begin providing services within one year of the regulations taking effect. The regulations are made under section 5(2)(o) of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act 1996, and would take effect from the date of gazette notification.
Who Is Exempt
Jazz, Zong and the merged Ufone-Telenor are left out of the new licensing requirement, since their current spectrum licences already cover IoT services.
PTA previously issued IoT licences to 23 companies under the earlier framework in April 2026. Those licences would carry over for their remaining validity if the operators comply with the updated requirements within 90 days of the rules taking effect.
Why It Matters
Connected devices are spreading fast across Pakistan — from smart meters and farm sensors to tracking devices, home automation and industrial monitoring. The draft names ten application areas, including smart cities, energy utilities, agriculture, environmental monitoring, industrial automation, logistics, healthcare, education and public safety.
PTA first put out a draft licensing framework for terrestrial IoT services in July 2021, and this is the newest step in that work. The draft aims to give farms, factories and young technology companies a clear and cheaper way to deploy connected devices, while keeping the traffic under regulatory oversight.
For ordinary mobile users, the draft changes nothing directly. It does not affect phone bills, mobile data prices or WhatsApp. It regulates the companies that run the networks behind smart devices, not the people who use the devices.
How to Comment
Comments go to the Director Satellite at satellite-lic@pta.gov.pk by 20 November 2026. Companies, startups, farms, factories and software firms that use IoT data can send their views before that date. After the consultation closes, PTA will finalise the regulations and notify them in the official gazette.
FAQs
What is the PTA IoT licensing fee?
The draft proposes Rs. 100,000 for a five-year commercial IoT-LPWAN licence, plus a non-refundable processing fee of Rs. 5,000.
What does a private IoT network cost to register?
A private network on a single premises, such as a farm or factory, would pay Rs. 10,000 plus Rs. 5,000 processing for a five-year registration.
What is the trial registration for IoT testing?
The draft introduces a one-year trial and research registration for companies testing IoT technology on a single premises. It costs Rs. 2,000 plus a Rs. 1,000 processing fee.
Do software companies need to register with PTA?
Yes, under the draft. Any firm that develops or provides an application, software platform or digital service using data from IoT devices or networks would need a five-year registration at Rs. 10,000 plus Rs. 5,000 processing.
Are Jazz, Zong and Ufone covered by the new rules?
No. Their current spectrum licences already cover IoT services, so they are exempt from the new licence.
When do comments close?
Comments close on 20 November 2026. They go to the Director Satellite at satellite-lic@pta.gov.pk.
Are these rules final?
No. They are a draft for consultation. The fees and conditions can still change after the industry responds.
Conclusion
The PTA IoT Licensing Rules 2026, in draft form, would bring a clear and cheaper licensing system to Pakistan’s growing Internet of Things sector. A Rs. 100,000 five-year licence for operators, Rs. 10,000 registrations for private networks and software platforms, and a Rs. 2,000 one-year trial registration give every kind of user a defined path. The consultation closes on 20 November 2026, and the final rules will only be known after PTA hears the industry’s views. We will update this article when the regulations are finalised.
Sources
PTA (draft IoT-LPWAN Licensing Regulations 2026, consultation paper), TechProlonged, CW Pakistan, UrduPro, Trustlist, The Pakistan Connect, Around.pk.
