DEPT OF TELECOM DELAYS 5G TRIALS IN INDIA

• Be N By IAS, Delhi
• 08, Feb 2021

CONTEXT:

• Parliamentary Panel Slammed the government for its ‘laid-back approach’ and delay in conducting 5G trials.
  • It has said that sufficient preparatory work had not been undertaken for introducing 5G services in India
  • Country was likely to witness only partial deployment by 2021-end or early 2022.

NEWS IN DETAILS:

• Missing the 5G Bus: Committee, headed by Shashi Tharoor, added it was very likely that after missing the 2G, 3G and 4G buses, India was going to miss out on 5G opportunities.
  • Unless time-bound action was taken in areas where governmental intervention was required.
• Reasons for delay: Following are some factors coming in the way of a 5G services roll-out in India.

1. Inadequate availability of spectrum,
2. High spectrum prices,
3. Poor development of use cases,
4. Low status of fiberisation,
5. Non-uniform right-of-way issues and
6. Deficient backhaul capacity

• Suggestions: The committee recommends that spectrum auction including auctioning of 3300 MHz to 3600 MHz be conducted at the earliest.”
  • DoT had assured that the said spectrum would be auctioned in the next six months or so.
• Telcom ahead than DOT: The committee noted that Telcos had submitted 5G trial applications in January, 2020 but that till date, guidelines for trials had not been made clear and there was no set date for commencement of trials.
• Government Allowed: “It is really disturbing to note that 5G trials have not yet been permitted. while in February, 2020, that the government has allowed all applications for 5G trials in limited areas and for limited time to test potential 5G India-specific use cases.”

WAY FORWARD:

• “By end of year 2021 or beginning of 2022, there will be some roll-out in India for some specific uses, because 4G should continue in India for at least another 5-6 years.
• Sufficient preparatory work has not been undertaken for launching 5G services in India.”
• Issue of allocating the right amount of spectrum as demanded by the industry needed to be addressed if India were to realise the benefits of 5G.
• “The committee recommends that for identification of adequate spectrum for 5G services the DoT needs to have fruitful deliberation with the
  • Department of Space and
  • Ministry of Defence
• The panel found fundamental differences between the versions of telcos and TRAI on fixing of spectrum prices and urged a review of the spectrum-pricing policy.

5G technology:

5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks.
5G mainly works in 3 bands all of which have their own uses as well as limitations:

1. Low band,
2. Mid band and
3. High frequency spectrum —

Source: The Hindu

MCQs:

Q. 5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks. It mainly works in which of the following band?

1. Low band
2. Mid band
3. High frequency spectrum

Select the correct answer using the code below.

• a) 1 Only
• b) 2 and 3 Only
• c) 1 and 2 Only
• d) 1, 2 and 3 Only

ANS: D