27.9.17

Government plans 5G network rollout by 2020

The government has set up a panel to lay down a roadmap for the rollout of 5G mobile networks in India by 2020 in a move that not only promises to make wireless connections blazingly fast but will also make room for the proliferation of Internet-connected smart devices.

5G wireless networks promise more speed and less latency, can serve a higher density of broadband users and are optimized for the Internet of Things, which refers to everyday objects becoming intelligent with the ability to send and receive data.

The government’s push to move to 5G is driven by the logic that India, one of the world’s largest markets for telecom services, should not be left behind when the world shifts to 5G. India’s adoption of 4G was delayed earlier this decade.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India released a consultation paper on framing regulations and standards for the rollout of 5G networks and IoT in August. The paper sought the views of telecom operators on spectrum caps and rollout obligations for 5G spectrum, besides the pricing of 4G airwaves in the coveted 700 MHz band that went unsold in the last auction, Mint reported on 29 August. Trai also sought the industry’s views on the valuation methodology of spectrum in the 3300-3400 MHz and 3400-3600 MHz bands used for 5G services.

An auction of spectrum will potentially generate more revenue for the government but it will also require telecom firms to invest more.

India’s largest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel Ltd said that it would deploy a so-called massive multiple-input multiple-output technology, a key enabler for 5G networks.

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