Last week, the Government of India announced plans to hold an auction of 5G spectrum by the end of July
Broadband India Forum (BIF) said that the decision by the Indian government to allow private firms to own and operate 5G private networks will pave the way for digital transformation in the country.
In a statement, the Broadband Indian Forum, an independent think-tank and policy forum for digital communications in the country, noted that this decision will lead to better efficiencies and productivity and will also propel indigenous manufacturing.
The entity highlighted that private 5G networks would be crucial for the enterprises to augment efficiencies and enhance productivity.
Broadband India Forum’s President TV Ramachandran, said: “The decision of the Union Cabinet underlines the Government’s progressive vision and an extremely forward-looking approach towards use and advancement of technology to fulfill India’s digital ambitions. As we look to cement India’s position as a global hub for manufacturing, supply chain and R&D, as well as one of the leading digital economies across the world, the advancement of enterprises through dedicated captive private 5G networks will help gain efficiencies in all vital industry verticals.”
The entity also highlighted that the government permits all the four methods of allocating spectrum for Private 5G Networks as recommended by India’s telecoms regulator TRAI – including the option of enterprises obtaining spectrum directly from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
Last week, the Government of India announced plans to hold an auction of 5G spectrum by the end of July.
The auction will offer frequencies in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.1 GHz, 2.3 GHz, 3.3 GHz and 26 GHz frequency bands.
The government also said that those interested in participating in the spectrum auction are invited to submit their applications by July 8, with the process due to start on July 26.
The cabinet noted it decided to enable private networks to support a new wave of industrial applications in sectors such as automotive, healthcare, agriculture and energy, among others.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had previously told the government of India that local carriers will not have incentives to deploy 5G networks if authorities allowed private companies to run their own private 5G networks.
The COAI, which has local operators Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea as some of its key members, has sent a letter to India’s Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stating that there is “no business case for the roll out of 5G networks” if the government finally approved the possibility for local enterprises to deploy and operate their own 5G networks.
The entity noted that the possibility of permitting such private networks will “diminish the revenue so much that there will be no viable business case left for the telecom service providers and there will not remain any need for 5G network roll out by telecom service providers.”
