INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of 5G services in India at the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022, a telecom event held today in Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. “5G technology will revolutionise the telecom sector,” said the PM on Saturday.
Over the next couple of years, the service is anticipated to gradually reach the entire nation, with the potential to drastically alter India’s digital landscape. It is a historic day for India in the twenty-first century.
The fifth generation, or 5G, service, which can handle ultra-high-speed internet, is anticipated to unleash new economic prospects and societal advantages, acting as a transformative force for Indian society.
Cities to get 5G first
Following the launch, one use case was presented by each of India’s three largest telecom companies, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, to illustrate the potential of 5G technology.
The first location to receive 5G capabilities is Delhi’s IGI Airport, a few days before 5G launches. The service will be made available in four cities by Diwali: Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai. These cities will nevertheless experience redundancy because the services will be provided to only some areas of the city.
Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Varanasi, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Kolkata, Siliguri, Gurugram, and Hyderabad are among the cities that will receive 5G service during the initial rollout phase.
According to Airtel, 5G services will be available in several cities across the nation by March 2023 and throughout India by March 2024. By this year, Jio will also begin deploying 5G in a few towns. However, Vodafone hasn’t provided a particular date for the introduction or availability of ultra-high-speed internet services.
Benefits of 5G
A speedier internet connection is promised by 5G or the fifth generation of mobile networks. Internet speeds on 5G could reach 10 Gbps at their maximum, compared to the 100 Mbps of 4G. Simply put, 5G will give users higher download and upload rates.
“5G is going to bring forth the much-needed internet revolution to India as has been witnessed globally,” stated Anil Kumar Jain, CEO of the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI).
He stated, “Internet use, internet governance, and all applications related to it are anticipated to expand and become widely used across the nation. The nation and its associated businesses—MSMEs, startups, creator industries, and its digital economy—will have opportunities as a result. India has already benefited from the digital revolution and technology both in its urban and rural areas.”
Fascinatingly, while 5G will make new-era technologies like Digital Twin possible, the telecom industry in itself is an early adopter of the technology.
According to experts, India will tremendously gain from 5G technology. A recent assessment by a worldwide industry association representing mobile network operators predicted that it would likely boost the Indian economy by Rs 36.4 trillion ($455 billion) between 2023 and 2040.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, the union minister for communications, electronics, and information technology, had earlier stated that the government has set a target of 80% coverage of 5G telecom services in the nation in a short period.
Recently, Vaishnaw spoke at an industry gathering in the capital, “The 5G journey is going to be exciting, and many countries took many years to get 40% to 50% coverage. However, because the government has set a target of achieving 80% coverage in a short period, we should undoubtedly achieve that level in a very short period. We are aiming for a very aggressive timeline.”
Affordability
The cost of devices, digital connection, data costs, and a digital-first approach, according to the prime minister, are the foundations of his government’s vision for “Digital India.”
Previously, 1GB of data would cost around 300, but today, that cost is closer to 10 per GB. In India, the average monthly data use is 14GB. This costs between $125 and $150, as opposed to $4,200 every month. This result was produced as a result of government initiatives.
As of yet, no telco in the nation has disclosed its 5G intentions. Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio, stated at IMC2022, “We would make it very reasonable, it should be affordable for every Indian – right from device to service.”
Randeep Sekhon, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Airtel, stated earlier this year that prices for 5G plans in India should be comparable to those of the present 4G plans available there.
Presently, 5G smartphones are available in a variety of price ranges from almost all smartphone manufacturers. Several well-known companies are on the list, including Samsung, Realme, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Nokia.
Also Read: 5G Services To Be Launched Soon in India By PM Modi
