5G networks in India will only roll out once the telcos have got everything they need. This includes the 5G spectrum along with the equipment from the vendors to upgrade their networks. The private operators have often said that their networks are 5G ready. All they need is the spectrum from the government and just have to complete their testing to ensure that their networks are ready to manage the load and the use-cases that emerge in the future. But it isn’t that simple also. There are a lot of challenges that the telcos and the government needs to address before the first 5G network in India could be made live.
5G Networks Will Go Live in India Next Year’s Q2 Most Probably
If things go according to the plan of the telcos and the telecom department, Indians should be able to see the first live 5G network in India by Q2 of 2022. But the challenges that lie ahead might push the expected rollout period of the 5G networks much ahead. The first thing that’s still unclear is whether India is going for 5G or 5Gi. These are two standards developed by the 3GPP and TSDSI. Further, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is yet to come out with new price recommendations for the 5G spectrum. If there’s a delay from TRAI’s side, it would impact the spectrum auctions date which will mean the telcos and India will have to wait further before 5G networks could go live in India. There’s no clarity on which telco will be the first to launch 5G networks in India. All the private operators are currently testing their 5G networks in India and have achieved tremendous results. More about the 5G spectrum auctions and which standard will India go ahead with will become clear as months pass by. As for now, the next thing that everyone is waiting for is the TRAI to come out with fresh price recommendations for the spectrum.
