The Indian government seems set to adopt 5G technology alongside other
developed markets, given its focus on programs like Digital India. The
government has commissioned a research team on 5G technology, which has
already filed 100 patents so far — of which around 10 have already been
granted, according to the Economic Times.
The research project, which was commissioned by the ministry of
electronics and IT, was approved in September 2015 with an outlay of Rs.
36.51crore over a period of three years. Most of these patents have
been filed by the team simultaneously in the US and in India.
The Indian telecom market has historically been playing catchup game
with the rest of the world in the adoption of 2G, 3G and 4G
technologies. Although 5G standards are planned to be completed for
first 5G commercial deployment in 2020, many operators in the US, Korea
and Japan are preparing to pilot or trial 5G in 2016 and commercially
launch the first 5G solutions from 2017 onwards.
5G is the fifth generation of wireless networks which are expected to
offer not just more speed for end users and also have the capacity to
connect the billions of devices like driver less cars and household
appliances which will connect to the internet in the near future.
“We are scaling up fast and switching gears because 5G is just around
the corner,” Kiran Kuchi, a professor at the department of electrical
engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad was
quoted as saying.
He said that the research team expects to file a lot more patents in the next few years.
Apart from the government, private stakeholders like Reliance Jio,
Tata Teleservices and Tejas Networks, along with a host of startups are
partnering in the effort by lending their manpower and equipment. A
person familiar with government’s plans said that India is aggressively
pursuing the agenda at the body which is making standards for 5G of
which India has been made a member only two years ago.
“World over governments in China, UK, and others are pumping money in
5G and we can’t miss the boat,” an official was quoted as saying.
An earlier ET report said that telecom gear makers Ericsson and Nokia
began talks with Indian telcos and policy makers for possible
engagements around fifth-generation (5G) technology. The initial talks
revolve around the telcos’ interest and their preparedness for the 5G
technology, besides identification of relevant spectrum band that will
support the technology.
