After multiple speculations over the years, 5G will hopefully be launched within this year. Consumers and telecom players like Airtel are excited about how this upcoming technology is going to level up the existing digitalization and introduce multiple opportunities across industries.

India has seen remarkable growth when it comes to the telecommunication industry. From approximately 82000 landline users 75 years ago to nearly 1.2 billion telecom users today, the Indian telecom industry has registered outstanding progress. The historic upgradation of mobile devices has contributed the most towards building the communication economy, and the numbers will only increase with the upcoming technology.

"With the rollout of 5G this year, India is gearing for future technologies that will revolutionize the user experience and contribute to better connectivity across the globe," stated Airtel.

However, even with so much information available through media, there are still speculations amongst users regarding the capabilities of this digital transformation and how it could change the way we experience everything. Business Northeast caught up with officials of Bharti Airtel Limited to understand the rollout and functioning of 5G.

Q. How will 5G benefit the users?

Airtel: The internet has been a part of our lives since the early 80s and it has transformed the dimensions of connectivity. Now with the 5th generation of the internet coming into our lives, we can expect a lot more from the world of technology for the consumers. 5G is majorly focused on three things- high data speeds, low latency, and increased concurrency. The upcoming generation of the network is going to revolutionize everything around us. Giving users an upgrade to a better connecting experience, 5G will change how we consume data. Airtel 5G will deliver higher speeds compared to a 4G network, which could be anywhere between 20 to 30 times the speed the users get today. With low latency and higher speed compared to the existing network, data consumption will increase across platforms. 5G reportedly will provide hyper capacity, and higher concurrency and can enable services that are based on lower latency.

During 5G trials, Airtel as the leading telecom player, demonstrated more than 200Mbps of connectivity at 10Km of distance from the cell site using a 3.5GHz spectrum. 5G, MEC and AI/ML would also help bring industrial transformation commonly called Industry 4.0. During our recent 5G trials, we have launched #5GforBusiness for various industries such as manufacturing, mining, healthcare, connected workforce, retail, ports, and the automobile industry.

There is a direct correlation between higher internet speed and GDP growth. There is a growing business need for the technology to improve operational efficiency, achieve quicker decision-making capability and generate cost savings. With 5G’s internet speed, users such as entrepreneurs and small business owners sitting in remote areas can work remotely in real-time without any delays due to the ease of access and usage, which will translate to better job opportunities, and thus, an increase in GDP in the long run. According to research firm IDC, out of 55.7 billion connected devices worldwide, about 75 percent would be connected to an IoT platform by 2025.

For content creators, movie fans, and OTT users, the emergence of 5G networks will bring in better-quality video on mobile devices at much faster speeds, more reliable connections, and lower latencies, which will enhance the content streaming experience for users, like never before.

Q. How can consumers use 5G?

Airtel: In a letter issued to their customers, Gopal Vittal, CEO, of Bharti Airtel, explained how convenient it will be for the users to use 5G on their existing Airtel SIM as it is already 5G enabled. He also explained the ways in which users can easily change the settings on their 5G handset and make the best of the upcoming technology. He also mentioned that by December, the 5G network should have coverage in the key metros and we expect to cover all of urban India by the end of 2023.

Airtel is aiming to bridge the digital divide by enabling access to high-speed broadband through rural 5G trials. Recently our company executed multiple rural trials. With the focus on connectivity, 5G will allow the facilities of high-speed internet, without the hassle of installation of wires, to reach the remotest of areas, which can help the education system to reach the farthest areas across the country. This will help in contributing towards generating employment across regions, helping the younger generation of our country to avail the benefits of quality education directly on their smartphones.

Q. Are we ready to reap the benefits of 5G?

Airtel: Speaking of 5G devices, the anticipation of 5G in India has been building up for years now. Many manufacturers have already launched the latest 5G smartphones in the country, with more in the pipeline. We are expecting better smartphones and devices this year which will cater to the needs of users of every price segment. Airtel has already started this transformation by building the 5G digital ecosystem with a network of diverse players– including cloud providers, managed security providers, enterprises, and technology partners offering a host of services. The movement and interest toward 5G readiness are strong and that reflects in the upward curve as the industry prepares for its commercial rollout.

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, 4.4 billion 5G subscriptions are forecast for the end of 2027 globally equalling around half of all mobile subscriptions at that time. 5G will represent around 39 percent of mobile subscriptions in India at the end of 2027, estimated at 500 million subscriptions. The average traffic per smartphone in India is projected to grow to around 50GB per month in 2027.

Globally, some countries have already witnessed Greenfield 5G deployments and there are regions where the commercial deployment of 5G is happening faster, enabled by spectrum availability. The Indian government has not announced a frequency auction date for 5G yet, but according to various reports, it could be expected in the second quarter of 2022. 5G will launch across the country at the same time, with special emphasis on areas lacking internet access, which in turn means that the rates for 5G will be competitive, but the volume of data consumed by consumers will be quite high as well.

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