Companies and organisations that want to test internet-of-things (IoT) technology in Pakistan could soon get a one-year trial period from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PTA IoT trial period would let firms try out connected devices and networks in a controlled setting before moving to commercial operations.
The proposal sits in the PTA’s draft IoT and Low Power Wide Area Networks (IoT-LPWAN) Licensing Regulations 2026, which create a special registration category for research, development and testing of connected devices and networks. ProPakistani reported the draft rules on Monday.
The trial registration would last one year and cover networks set up within a single premises for testing and research. Applicants would pay an initial registration fee of Rs2,000 and a non-refundable application processing fee of Rs1,000, and would submit technical details and other documents through the PTA’s online system.
Satellite links must run through licensed providers
The draft also sets conditions for firms using satellite connections and other services to move data between network equipment: under the proposal, all backend traffic — including satellite connections — would have to run through a Local Access Provider (LAP) licensed by the PTA.
Applicants would also have to name the licensed provider responsible for connecting their network gateways with their central servers, and the PTA has warned that using an unlicensed provider for this connectivity could lead to cancellation of the licence or registration.
How the PTA IoT trial period fits the wider rules
The proposed rules cover IoT and LPWAN services across Pakistan, set up separate categories for licensed services, registered operations and exempt activities, and will take effect after publication in the official gazette.
The trial category is the cheaper, lower-risk sibling of the commercial licence the PTA proposed in the same draft regulations. Feature Pakistan reported last week that the draft sets an initial licence fee of Rs100,000 for companies that want to run LPWAN networks. PTA IoT licensing fee proposed at Rs100,000 The one-year trial, at Rs2,000 plus a Rs1,000 processing fee, lets firms test first and pay the full licence fee only when they are ready to operate commercially.
IoT covers the connected devices now spreading through daily life: smart electricity meters, farm sensors that track soil moisture, trackers on delivery vehicles and machines on factory floors. LPWAN networks carry small packets of data from those devices over long distances while using little power. For Pakistan, the rules matter because the devices will run on local networks, and the PTA wants their data to stay inside licensed channels.
The satellite rule also links to a wider shift. Six companies have now registered in Pakistan to offer satellite-based internet, including Starlink, though they still need security clearances and PTA licences before they can launch commercial services. The PTA’s demand that IoT traffic run through licensed local providers shows the regulator wants satellite links tied into Pakistan’s licensed telecom system from the start.
The PTA has been active on network quality as well. It has been running network quality surveys in Lahore and Karachi to measure the service mobile users actually receive. PTA network quality surveys reach Lahore, Karachi The regulator has also sought powers to revisit telecom mergers beyond a one-year limit. PTA wants power to revisit telecom mergers beyond one-year limit For users, the cybercrime agency has warned citizens to keep personal details private as online fraud spreads. NCCIA warning: keep four personal details private
Frequently asked questions
What is the PTA IoT trial period?
It is a proposed one-year registration category that lets companies and organisations test internet-of-things devices and networks within a single premises, for research and development, before moving to commercial operations.
What does the trial registration cost?
Applicants would pay an initial registration fee of Rs2,000 and a non-refundable application processing fee of Rs1,000. They would apply through the PTA’s online system.
What are the rules on satellite connections?
IoT operators would have to route all backend traffic, including satellite connections, through a Local Access Provider licensed by the PTA. They must also name the licensed provider that connects their network gateways to their central servers.
What happens if a firm uses an unlicensed provider?
The PTA has warned that using an unlicensed provider for this connectivity could result in cancellation of the relevant licence or registration.
When do the rules take effect?
The draft IoT and LPWAN Licensing Regulations 2026 will take effect after their publication in the official gazette.
