5G is coming to India, and here’s what we know so far
Since the introduction of first-generation mobile services in India, which were only able to transmit voice calls, mobile networks have undergone major development. The fourth generation, or 4G, of mobile networks is capable of handling faster data rates. However, a more recent generation of mobile networks is required due to the shifting connectivity requirements, increasing mobile data traffic, and a new class of linked ecosystem products.
And this is what the 5G network is all about.
It is a network that can manage more simultaneous connections without experiencing any hiccups while maintaining low latency (the time before a data transmission starts) and enhanced throughput (a measure of how many informational units a system can process in a given amount of time).
WHAT IS 5G?
The fifth generation of cellular network technology is known as 5G. It is intended to improve network connections by solving the speed, latency, and utility issues that both the previous and current generations of mobile networks could not resolve. Data speeds promised by 5G networks are expected to be 100 times faster than those of 4G networks.
The major feature includes:
- A throughput speed of up to 10 gigabytes per second.
- A huge reduction in latency to less than 1 millisecond (ms) from the current 50ms.
- An exponential rise in the number of connections.
5G ROLLOUT IN INDIA
India should soon have 5G service. The big question, though, is when. Although we do not yet have a conclusive response to this query, the debut of 5G in India is unquestionably getting closer.
Globally, the rollout of 5G networks is quickly progressing from testing too early commercialization. India’s top network providers are aiming to launch the next-generation cellular network quickly.
Bharti Airtel stated earlier this week that it would launch 5G services in India by the end of the month, bringing the country one step closer to realizing its 5G ambition. On August 15, Reliance Jio will probably reveal something about its planned 5G network.
Thirteen Indian cities, including Delhi, Gurugram, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, and Gandhinagar, would get 5G services in the first phase.
5G SPECTRUM AUCTION
Last week, the largest-ever spectrum auction in India came to an end, with bids totalling more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore coming in over the course of seven days and 40 rounds.
When Reliance Jio made the largest acquisition of the 5G spectrum, it pulled off a brilliant move. Its participation in the entire spectrum auction increased to more than 50%.
For a total of Rs 88,078 crore, Reliance Jio bought spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 1800MHz, 3300MHz, and 26GHz bands.
Bharti Airtel, the second-largest telco in the nation, spent Rs 43,084 crore to purchase 19.8 GHz of spectrum over the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz bands.
With a bid price of Rs 18,799 crore, Vodafone Idea won 6,228 MHz of airwaves in the 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2500 MHz, and 3300 MHz bands.
Adani Data Networks Limited, a subsidiary of the Adani Group and the fourth applicant to the auction amid a barrage of disruptions in the telecom industry, spent Rs 212 crore and only acquired spectrum in the 26 GHz band.
INDIGENOUS 5G
Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Union Minister of State for Information Technology, has stated that India is among the leading nations and one of the first to deliver international 5G.
“We have never used the equipment we are employing for 5G. The nation’s 2G, 3G, and 4G networks were constantly imported from abroad.
The availability of the country’s population to the most recent 5G network using Indian-designed hardware is a major accomplishment for India,” Chandrashekhar added.
HOW COSTLY WILL 5G BE?
Contrary to popular belief, individual customer 5G tariffs may be comparable to 4G rates.
But in the coming 12 to 24 months, 5G is anticipated to boost telecoms’ Average Revenue Per Unit (ARPU) by at least Rs. 50 to the Rs. 225-250 area.
The cost of 5G won’t be more than 4G. However, since 5G is faster and better, customers will ultimately consume more data, resulting in volume-driven growth as opposed to tariff-driven increases for ARPUs.
The country’s 5G services are anticipated to launch in October, according to telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and even with 5G, the telecom industry will continue to be among the most affordable in the world.
Services will remain affordable even with 5G, says telecom minister
The country’s 5G services are anticipated to launch in October, according to Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and even with 5G, the telecom industry will continue to be one of the most economical in the world.
“We had asked the sector to begin the process of installing equipment around the nation. Our committee already met today to ratify the spectrum allotment after yesterday’s auction. We should be able to finally allocate the spectrum by August 10 and begin rolling out 5G in October, ” according to India Today, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
“The world’s most reasonable telecom market is in India. I’m hoping the pattern will hold even in 5G,” he added.
The Union minister went on to dispute claims of danger from electromagnetic radiation by claiming that the amount of radiation is ten times lower than that in the US and Europe.
In October, we should be able to start rolling out 5G: Telecom
“Low radiation indicates that we can provide high-quality services. Although our environment is safe and secure, we should increase EMFs rather than maintain the existing level, ” stated the minister.
Speaking about the hardware that would be used to deliver 5G services, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that after the services are launched, 5G handset production will scale up.
“We are the world’s second-largest mobile phone maker. Nearly 25–30% of Indian-made mobile phones have 5G capabilities. Every year, the cost of 5G phones decreases. The majority of phones will support 5G over the course of a year,” he said.
Speaking about a potential resurgence of BSNL and its function in the telecom industry, Ashwini Vaishnaw remarked that BSNL plays a crucial role as a market stabilizing force.
“It is a sector that has a major impact on the security of the nation. The BSNL performs almost all of the essential infrastructure and connects remote areas, closing the digital divide. We need a large platform to build and test new technologies as they emerge, ” the minister added.
“BSNL must become a lively, tech-savvy corporation in a very competitive telecom industry since, despite all the problems, the company has a loyal 10 crore customer base in the country,” he added.
End of 5G spectrum auction; Reliance The highest bidder is Jio
An unprecedented quantity of 5G telecom spectrum—over Rs 1.5 lakh crore—was sold in a seven-day auction that ended on Monday. As the highest bidder, Jio cemented its position as the market leader.
According to direct sources with knowledge of the matter, estimates put the entire amount of bids at Rs. 1,50,173 crore.
The 5G spectrum’s mop-up, which might provide ultra-high speed mobile internet connectivity, is almost twice as much as the 4G airwaves’ sale price of Rs 77,815 crore last year and thrice that of the Rs 50,968.37 crore paid for 3G airwaves in 2010.
Reliance Jio was the highest bidder for the airwaves thanks to its speeds that are around 10 times quicker than 4G, lag-free connectivity, and capacity to enable billions of connected devices to share data in real-time. Following it were Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Ltd.
According to reports, the newcomer Adani group purchased a 26 MHz spectrum to establish a private telecom network.
The sources claimed that once the information from the auction is fully collated, specifics of which company bought how much spectrum would be disclosed.
Bharti and Jio have likely created a 5G spectrum footprint throughout all of India with the modest assistance of Vodafone Idea.
Ten bands of spectrum were made available by the government, however no bids were received for the 600 MHz, 800 MHz, and 2300 MHz bands. A little under two-thirds of the bids were placed for the 3300 MHz and 26 GHz 5G bands, while more than a quarter of the demand came from the 700 MHz band.
Reliance Jio spent Rs 57,122.65 crore, Bharti Airtel roughly Rs 18,699 crore, and Vodafone Idea Rs 1,993.40 crore for spectrum in the two-day auction last year.
It would be feasible to implement solutions like e-health, connected autos, more immersive augmented reality and metaverse experiences, life-saving use cases, and improved mobile cloud gaming thanks to the fifth generation of wireless technology, or 5G. Ultra-low latency connections would be made possible by 5G, allowing for both ultra-low latency connections and ultra-low latency connections that would speed up the download of full-length, high-quality videos and movies to mobile devices.
On the first day of the auction, July 26, there were bids totaling Rs 1.45 lakh crore, and demand only slightly increased in some circles on subsequent days.
How Will India Benefit From 5G?
Many 5G apps could be quite useful for Indian users. In addition to faster browsing and improved connectivity, new technology has the potential to improve access to services like healthcare and mobile banking and create new job opportunities for those who are unemployed or underemployed in the nation.
Not only that, but with the arrival of 5G, we can already see how traditional cities are evolving into smart cities. It may enable residents and businesses to expand greatly. Future citizens may be able to gain socioeconomically from 5G thanks to a developed digital economy. Let’s examine the additional benefits 5G will offer India.
Healthcare Benefits Of 5G In India
Due to their seamless connectivity, 5G networks will help medical professionals perform sophisticated medical treatments remotely. No matter where they are, doctors can communicate with their patients, and technology will make remote surgery possible for surgeons. Additionally, smart medical equipment like wearables can instantly communicate a patient’s condition in an emergency.
5G Benefits For IoT Sector
The Internet of Things will benefit from the new technologies. Modern 5G routers will be able to connect a home’s smart appliances and devices to a 5G wireless network. Additionally, it might be highly beneficial in the fields of telemedicine, smart agriculture, industrial automation, and remote monitoring. Farmers can monitor and control their cattle using GPS and smart RFID sensors.
5G Hurdles In India
While 5G connection promises to solve problems, there are many obstacles its adoption in India may encounter. Financial obligations come first; upgrading from 4G to 5G may be expensive for customers. The delay is exacerbated by telecom companies’ massive indebtedness and lack of funding.
In addition, India is already a late adopter of the new technology; thus, the service’s revenue may not be as high as anticipated. Furthermore, the digital divide between urban and rural areas of the nation won’t be closed with the introduction of 5G.
It is challenging to introduce a new network for the consumers, given the problems with call dropouts and data disruptions that afflict the country’s current networks. India must fix its current 4G networks before introducing 5G services.
Therefore, for 5G to be widely adopted in India, it must be economically viable for users and network providers.
