India has finally entered into a select group of nations by launching the high-speed fifth-generation (5G) telecommunication network. The new technology is expected to be nearly 600 times faster and support 10 times more devices per square kilometre than the current 4G.
The new technology uses frequencies that are near the bottom of the millimetre wave band. However, millimetre waves have a more limited range; it would require many small cells. The high capital expenditure cost involved in such deployment would force telecom companies to extend 5G services in densely populated areas like urban centres.
As part of the first phase of rollout, therefore, the 5G services will be extended in 13 major cities. The cities that will receive the 5G service during the initial rollout phase are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Siliguri and Varanasi.
While no operator has announced tariff plans, it is expected to be affordable in terms of per unit of data. The telecom companies, however, could benefit from higher data downloads because of faster speeds.
The 4G had brought about revolutionary change in the way one consumes data and led to emergence of new segments like OTT, and AI-enabled devices, while helping people seamlessly work from home or study from home and pay over mobile. An early 5G rollout in a technologically advanced country like India would allow its entrepreneurs to exploit it to create devices that make people’s lives better and open new industries, enhancing value for the economy.
One of the areas that could immensely benefit from the 5G is education. It could help educationists deliver quality teaching experience to the remotest parts of the country. 5G offers unlimited options to entrepreneurs but the question is how much creativity they have to make use of these opportunities.
