PTA Proposes Mandatory Registration of All IoT and LPWAN Gateways Under Draft 2026 Rules

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed mandatory registration of all gateways operated by Internet of Things (IoT) and Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) service providers, according to the regulator's draft IoT and LPWAN Licensing Regulations 2026. The move would place IoT network infrastructure under a formal registration and monitoring framework for the first time.

Under the draft rules, every registration or license holder would be required to register each gateway through PTA's online portal or another mechanism designated by the authority. The requirement would apply both to private IoT network operators and to companies offering licensed IoT-LPWAN services. Existing LPWAN licensees whose permits were issued before the new regulations take effect would have 90 days to register their gateways through the online portal.

Those legacy licenses would be treated as having been issued under the proposed regulations for the remainder of their validity, provided operators comply with the new requirements. Gateway registration would carry no annual fee under the proposed schedule, but operators would have to supply detailed technical and operational information about each installation.

The registration form would require the gateway's make and model, PTA type approval details, frequency range, radio frequency output power, antenna type and height, installation address, and GPS coordinates. Additional information would cover the installation environment, deployment purpose, expected number of connected devices, backhaul type, coverage radius, and the quality of service parameters being monitored.

The draft also authorizes PTA to inspect gateway installation sites and to revoke authorization where regulatory violations are found. The regulations would take effect once notified in the official gazette. The proposal signals a broader effort to bring fast-growing IoT and low-power network deployments under clearer oversight while keeping registration free of recurring charges.