2021 brought positive news for India, not only about the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, but also about the development of the 5G front, which is likely to put 5G wheels in motion. The DOT recently announced that 5G trials are expected to begin in the next two to three months and a trial schedule will be announced soon. India is fully prepared for the upcoming 5G trials. Mehsana-based Ganpat University has recently been allotted experimental 5G spectrum for research and development by the Department of Telecom, Government of India.
How ready is India for 5G connectivity?
I believe that India is ready for 5G and needs to make affordable 5G available to operators. If 5G technology is to come to India, it needs to be seen as an important infrastructure with ‘long term benefits’ and a foundation on which the vision of a digital India can be realized. From a consumer perspective, there is a lot of interest for 5G in India and more importantly, they are willing to pay for the new capabilities that 5G brings. India has the highest monthly consumption of 15.7 GB per month (2020) worldwide.
How did COVID-19 affect this readiness for the Internet?
The COVID-19 epidemic saw a significant increase in global and Indian data traffic. A consumer study found that the average time spent on mobile broadband increased by an average of one hour globally, but in India it increased by 2.2 hours per day. . Where other countries in the world rely on broadband, Indian consumers rely more on mobile broadband. I believe COVID has really emphasized the need for connectivity and minimized the need for faster and seamless experiences for 5G customers and enterprises. And with education and office being online, internet usage is bound to increase. Seeing that, the internet consumer of India is quite ready for 5G.
How will this economy recover?
5G empowers telecommunications service providers (CSPs) to move beyond a subscriber-based business model and re-establish themselves as digital service providers (DSPs). It will drive innovation, safety and productivity in industries and enterprises. Not only that, it will grow into a variety of domains that use the Internet, such as e-commerce, cybersecurity, digitization services, etc.
Making India for India and the World (Self-Reliance India)
The Government of India has launched a number of initiatives and schemes under ‘Self-reliant India’ to promote self-reliance in the telecom sector. The objective is to develop India into a global hub for telecom equipment manufacturing. And 5G is a first step towards this. Therefore, various factors make 5G technology for the future. And it will definitely boost the economy in many ways.
Compiled By: Prof Rahul Shrimali , In the sweet memory of Late Prof. Navjyot Jadeja, Ex Assistant Professor, CSE, ICT, GUNI
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Feature Image Courtesy : https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/india-to-get-5g-by-2021-ban-on-certain-vendors-wont-delay-roll-out-nokia/articleshow/68149378.cms
