Govt. announces 2025 5G spectrum auction

Saturday, 4 October 2025 01:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

5G Notice of Assignment presented by TRCSL Director General Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Bandula Herath (second from left) to Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne yesterday. From left: Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry 5G Auction Committee Chairman Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena, Digital Economy Ministry Acting Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala and TRCSL Director Shantha Gunanandana – Pic by Ruwan Walpola

The Government yesterday formally issued the Notice of Assignment (NoA) for the 2025 5G spectrum auction, setting in motion the long-anticipated process to roll out next-generation mobile services in the country.

The announcement was made at a media briefing hosted by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), and officials said the spectrum assignment would pave the way for the introduction of commercial 5G services. The move is expected to strengthen digital infrastructure, support the economy, and drive growth across multiple industries.

The event was attended by Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Digital Economy Ministry Acting Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapal, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Director General Air Vice Marshal (Rtd.) Bandula Herath, 5G Auction Committee Chairman Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena and TRCSL Director Shantha Gunanananda.

Deputy Minister Weeraratne said the assignment would provide a strong foundation to expand next-generation telecommunication and ICT services. He stressed that 5G would be central to innovation, economic growth, and industrial transformation. “In agriculture, smart sensors can increase yields and reduce waste, while in the apparel industry, automated systems can enhance quality and production capacity,” he noted.

TRCSL Director General Herath traced the journey toward 5G back to 2017, explaining that regulatory groundwork was completed between 2017 and 2020, followed by consultations with the World Bank, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and GSMA between 2020 and 2022 to determine the most suitable frequency bands.

“Following this long process, the final assignment notice is being issued in 2025. The auction is expected to be completed within two months, after which the public will experience services enabled by this milestone,” he said.

Dr. Jayawardena, who heads the 5G Auction Committee, explained that the auction will run over 40 days and that all relevant documents have been published on the TRCSL website ([www.trc.gov.lk](http://www.trc.gov.lk)). He assured that the process would be carried out with high transparency.

Highlighting the social dimension, TRCSL Director Gunanananda said 5G would help bridge the digital divide. “The COVID-19 pandemic proved that the internet is now a basic necessity,” he said, adding that the new technology would improve access to education and economic opportunities for rural as well as urban populations.