Here’s everything you need to know about 5G in India. – What it is, the journey of 5G, when will it launch in India, and lastly what it is capable of?
The 5G spectrum auction is likely to take place by April-May 2022. The final date will be announced after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) files a report with its recommendations, likely by mid-February. It’s been delayed until May 2022 because the industry wasn’t ready.
Table of Contents
What is 5G?
In telecommunication, 5G is the fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks. It enables a new kind of network designed to connect everyone and everything virtually including machines, objects, and devices. 5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra-low latency, more reliability, etc. With higher performance and improved efficiency, it will help to empower new experiences and connects new industries.
Journey of 5G in India:
5G is the next big thing in the world of communications and technology. It is expected to revolutionize the way we use electronic products.
By the beginning of 2021, 61 countries across the globe already had up and running commercial 5G networks. So where does 5G in India stand today? 5G in India first came into the conversation in 2017 when a high-level forum was set up by the government to chalk out a roadmap towards 5G India by 2020. Subsequently, in 2018, the 5G in India forum invited communication technology companies to conduct major trials for 5G in India.
2020, of course, was a year marked with the pandemic, bringing India and the entire world to a standstill which further pushed the date on the 5G India launch. Thereafter, in 2021, a parliamentary panel report on the status of 5G in India concluded that ‘sufficient preparatory work has not been undertaken for launching 5G services in India’. – Thanks to inadequate spectrum availability, excessive spectrum pricing, poor development of test cases, or lack of formal approvals for testing 5G in India.
When will 5G launch in India?
5G launch in India is highly anticipated as the country waits for the fifth-generation network to bring faster-than-ever connectivity. Jio, Airtel, and Vi, all have been working towards making the network that can virtually connect everyone and everything.
While Jio is slated to launch 5G in India later this year. Airtel believes it may take anywhere between two to three years for the domestic telecom market to mature enough for 5G services. So we can see that a lot of it depends upon how smoothly and quickly India’s telecom and technology navigates through the challenges mentioned above.
Taking stock of the entire situation, we can conclude that, at the moment, the 5G launch in India will most likely be the mid or second half of 2022. In that regard, it is estimated that at least 40 million smartphone users will be the early adopters of 5G within a year of launch. Despite this optimistic estimate, 4G may well continue to dominate the Indian mobile connectivity scene for another 3-4 years before 5G becomes commonplace in India.
Now let’s see
What is 5G capable of?
While 4G made cloud services useable on mobile phones, 5G technology takes this to a new level. A 5G network has so much processing power built-in, that it becomes more than a network. It can act as a distributed data center that performs processing tasks, either using the full power of centralized resources or the responsiveness of edge computing done close to the user.
Processing intense tasks, like AR-filters or games, could be handled by the network instead of your phone, improving performance and saving battery. This makes new types of battery-powered devices, like lightweight AR glasses, possible. And enables things like coordinated fleets of connected delivery drones.
5G in different sectors:
Traffic and 5G-
5G plays a key role in the transformation by connecting vehicles, roadside infrastructure and digitalizing the entire traffic system. With real-time information sharing over 5G networks, vehicles will know the state of traffic so that congestions are minimized. This reduces both travel times and emissions. Instant sharing of data makes it possible for vehicles to literally see around corners, improving everyone’s safety.
Gaming and 5G-
The gaming industry is by far the biggest entertainment sector, with total revenues of about $180 billion in 2020. Mobile gaming is the fastest-growing category and now accounts for almost 50% of revenue. Consumers appreciate on-the-go gaming, and 5G is set to bring this even further. Future devices can be more lightweight while still having long battery life since the network handles the processing. This also means that there is less need to update the device as new games are released, making it more accessible.
Farming and 5G-
In a growing population, water shortage in many parts of the world, and a need to increase crop yields challenge the agricultural sector. To do it in a sustainable way (using fewer fertilizers and reducing environmental impact) challenges the agriculture sector. 5G helps meet these challenges by accelerating agriculture digitalization, connecting every aspect of the business. Tiny soil sensors, measuring watering and fertilization needs, could get up to 10 years of battery lifetime connected with 5G.
I hope this article was helpful as well as knowledgeable. If it was then do let us know in the comments down below. Also, if you’re interested in similar articles then here are a few recommendations for you guys.
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