The technology innovations to drive the future of Indian Telecom

India is contributing significantly to the next generation of telecom services with companies collaborating to broaden solutions. Private networks are expected to see a huge demand from enterprises in the near future across industries such as healthcare, education, fintech, e-commerce and entertainment. Though the spectrum auction is expected to happen in the second half of this year, the buzz around 5G has gained momentum over the last few months.

The Fifth Generation or 5G telecom services are set to be rolled out in selected cities in India in 2022. The cities which are set to get the 5G telecom services in 2022 include Gurugram, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jamnagar, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, and Gandhinagar. Leading telecom service providers Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, have established 5G trials sites in these cities. These Metros and big cities would be the first places for the launch of 5G services in the country.

While 5G services will allow telecom players to generate additional revenue streams especially from the enterprise and digital services segment, it is widely expected to come at a huge cost. The biggest chunk of the additional costs will be the price of airwaves companies will have to pay in an auction.

Telecom has played a significant role in bringing a change in consumer usage pattern. Data availability has pushed more and more digital services to the end user. To prepare for 5G well in advance, the Department of Telecommunications is considering using 'street furniture' to densely deploy 5G telecom infrastructure to overcome right-of-way challenges following a proposal from a state electricity board. The new committee under the department is looking at the viability and the quantum of state-owned infrastructure for making it available for 5G small cells deployment.

Apart from the leading telecom operators and smartphone manufacturers, the government is also involved actively to facilitate the rollout of 5G services. The Department of Telecom has roped in leading research institutions for development and testing of 5G technology. IoT will continue to shape consumer experiences and live by the promise of an interconnected world. The enterprise service portfolio is bound to expand exponentially in areas such as smart homes, utility meters, autonomous vehicles, asset tracking, and security amongst others.

Going forward, the roll out of high-speed broadband through 5G and satellite broadband will see the convergence of the telecom ecosystem and significantly affect the lives of a billion Indians. It will pave the way for bridging the urban−rural divide across sectors, including banking, healthcare, and education. India is also poised to be at the forefront of the fourth industrial revolution with the integration of Information Technology, Operational Technology and Telecom Infrastructure will find possible business prospects to produce new revenue streams.