Do you know what is 5G network is?
We are almost halfway through 2021, yet 5G is yet to arrive in India. Given that India lags behind the rest of the world in terms of 5G, where do we stand now in terms of 5G implementation? This is a question in the minds of a billion eager consumers, who are already impressed by the vision of 5G India and its life-changing promises: ultra-fast connectivity with no latency, robust internet connectivity for all, and applications like IoT, smart. Cars, Smart Industry, AI, and Robotics!
What is the 5G network?
5G technology represents the next-generation standard for wireless communication, connecting devices, businesses, and people. What sets 5G technology apart is its ability to deliver high multi-Gbps data 5G speeds, colossal bandwidth and network capacity, ultra-low latency, better availability, and more excellent reliability than any other mobile network.
This breakthrough in mobile connectivity 5G technology enables a more consistent user experience and the emergence of new services, applications, and experiences that are connecting the world at an alarming pace.
The journey of 5G in India so far
By early 2021, 62 countries around the world already had commercial 5G networks up and running.
5G first came to light in India when the government set up a high-level platform to create a roadmap towards 5G India by 2020. after, in 2018, the 5G in India Forum invited communication technology companies. Conduct and develop a structure for major trials related to India's 5G applications and use case labs.
As gear vendors and tech companies began launching testbeds for 5G in India and working on use case development, the emphasis was on encouraging home telecom equipment manufacturers to participate in 5G trials in India. The debate in 5G India telecom circles over the safety of foreign telecom devices is a critical factor that has led to 5G delays in India.
2020 was, of course, a year marked with the pandemic, which brought India and the entire world to a standstill, pushing the 5G India launch date further. Subsequently, in 2021, a parliamentary panel report on the status of 5G in India concluded that 'not enough preparatory work has been done to launch 5G services in India' - thanks to poor development of test cases, Low retraction capacity, limited access of optical fiber across the country or lack of formal approval for 5G tests in India. And even though significant telcos were confident that their commercial 5G launch date in India would be September 2021, the report was a harsh wake-up call for the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and India's 5G hopes.
The Journey Ahead for the 5G Launch in India
Looking at the journey of the 5G launch in India, which is now accelerating, we can have a more precise view of the future till the 5G launch in India.
According to the findings of the government and the Department of Telecommunications, the massive network infrastructure required for the 5G India launch is still inadequate. Hence, in the next 6-9 months, we can expect an accelerated rate of fiberization to connect rural India with the upcoming 5G services. As per the National Broadband Mission, we can expect around 2 million km of optical fiber to be installed across the country, covering 70% of the country's towers by 2024.
Challenges to be faced by 5G launch in India
There are several hurdles that the government, telecom regulators, service providers, and equipment manufacturers need to clear before we see the 5G launch in India.
Low fiberization footprint: We need to upgrade fiber connectivity across India, which connects only 30% of India's telecom towers. For an efficient 5G India launch and adoption, this number has to be doubled.
'Make in India' hardware challenge.
Restrictions on some of the foreign telecom OEMs, on which most of our CSPs depend, mean that the country needs to encourage and boost its local 5G hardware manufacturing at a fantastic rate if it needs to realize the 5G India dream.
High Spectrum Pricing:
At INR 492 crores per MHz, India's 5G spectrum price is almost seven times higher than the UK and several times more expensive than the global average. This will be detrimental to India's cash-strapped telecom companies. There is a need for rationalization of this pricing to generate sufficient revenue from the auction without disrupting the implementation plans of 5G in India.
5g mobiles in India
Taking stock of the whole situation, we can conclude that, for the time being, 5G launches in India will be most likely in the mid or second half of 2022. In this regard, it is estimated that there will be at least 40 million smartphone users. Early adopters of the 5G in India within a year of launch. Despite this optimistic estimate, 4G may dominate the Indian mobile connectivity landscape for 3-4 years before 5G becomes common in India. One can only hope!
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