May 19, 2022
India will have its own 5G stack between September and October of FY22: Minister of Communications
Many unicorns to form after India rolls out 5G
India will contribute 1.39% of worldwide 5G sales
5G introduction to enable a surge in demand for semiconductor chips
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first 5G testbed, during a ceremony that commemorated the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) Silver Jubilee.
With multiple stakeholders from both the private and public spaces working individually and collaboratively to deploy a robust 5G infrastructure in the country, the advent of the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks will be a game-changer for many industries around the country.
The Roadmap
By enabling an evolution in the country’s digital infrastructure, 5G is expected to facilitate a myriad of opportunities for India’s Internet users; be it for an everyday content consumer with a smartphone, or the enterprise-level service employed by a well-established organization. The government’s efforts to deploy the 5G ecosystem effectively, are in full swing.
According to Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw India will have its own 5G stack between September and October of FY22. The Minister went on to say that the deployment of the new-generation network in the country will be closely monitored through a number of initiatives, including the creation of a robust telecom infrastructure to improve connectivity in remote areas via USO (Universal Service Obligation Fund) support, the creation of open public digital platforms in verticals such as payments, healthcare, logistics, and education, and the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
For businesses, 5G is expected to greatly enhance their valuations. According to experts, a large number of startups might possibly become unicorns by launching their 5G-based applications, once the technology gets rolled out in the country. A startup is addressed as a ‘Unicorn’ after its overall valuation reaches US$ 1 billion. As per the experts, we can expect a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) and a 5G Core, both being significant elements of the network’s architecture, to be up and running by the end of this year.
Additionally the introduction of 5G is expected to further spawn new jobs in operations and maintenance, according to Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary K Rajaraman. He further added that a lot of occupational categories will be created in the telecom sector, as 5G is going to greatly level up the use cases for the Internet of Things (IoT).
The DoT is scheduled to seek the Cabinet for final approval of the 5G spectrum auction procedures, including pricing and airwave tenure, according to the secretary.
Way Forward
PM Modi has recently said that 5G will contribute US$ 450 billion to India’s economy, as the country is attracting investments at about one and a half times more than the rate it used to eight years ago.
The network’s introduction in the country is also poised to present huge opportunities for semiconductor-chip makers, by potentially enabling a surge in their demand.