India Will Launch Full-Fledged 5G Network From August-September, 2022! Telecom Minister Is Confident

Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the necessary preparations have been made for the spectrum auction, including 5G airwaves, by June 2022.

The commercial rollout of 5G services can start from August-September 2022 onwards.

He also said that the government is confident of resolving issues related to high spectrum pricing.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India [TRAI] has made suggestions regarding price revisions. 

Price With 35-40% Cut

It recommended a 35-40% cut in the baseline 5G spectrum pricing, in response to Telecom operators’ demands for rationalised 5G spectrum prices.

This comes around to a base price of Rs 317 crore a unit for airwaves in the premium 3.3-3.67 GHz band and the recommended price for the 700MHz spectrum is set to Rs 3,297 crore a unit.

But these prices are for a 20-year licence and not the 30-year term that telecom players have been asking for.

So the price cut essentially amounts to just 5-10%.

Price With 90% Cut

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) was dissatisfied since the industry wanted a 90% cut.

This would take the starting price decreased to Rs 49 crore per unit and Rs 657 crore for the 700MHz spectrum.

The next step is to gain approval of the Digital Communications Commission [DCC] which will finalize its decision in the next 5-6 days.

Following this, the pricing will go to the Cabinet for final approval.

Different Ways 5G Could Roll Out

Vaishnaw had said that the commercial rollout could take place in August or September but this appears unlikely.

Telcos require six months from the spectrum auction to roll out their 5G services.

However, they had been given more time to test their networks, so it’s possible for them to fast-track the commercial rollout.

Or they could do so on a smaller scale, like Jio did in the past with 4G before a wider rollout.

How 5G Is Different: High Speeds

First off, it has much faster speeds. 

Average download speeds on 4G in the US range between 35-40 Mbps.

In India, Reliance Jio tops with an average download speed of 29 Mbps.

Now 5G promises superfast speeds of up to 600 Mbps.

The slowest was 156 Mbps in Singapore, which is still over five times faster than Reliance Jio’s 4G speeds.

How 5G Is Different: Lower Latency

Second, its lower latency.

This would benefit those who consume a lot of video related media such as livestream, video calls or games.

Lower the latency, the lower the lags and better the experience.

How 5G Is Different: Higher Network Capacity

Third, higher network capacity.

This becomes apparent in crowded places where 4G internet would be barely usable and calling proves a hassle.

5G delivers not only a fast internet connection but also makes calling in crowded areas convenient.