Page 35 - NIS English 16-30 June 2022

Progress with Technology Nation
INDIA'S OWN 5G TESTBED

It is a 5G prototype and testing
platform. The testbeds will help the
telecom industry and startups to test
and verify their products locally. With
this, they will not have to depend on
other countries. This testbed has been
set up at a cost of around Rs 220 crore.
This facility is available at 5 different
locations. The 5G testbed has been
developed by eight institutions led
by IIT Madras as a multi-institution
collaborative project. Now India will
have its own technology for 5G service.

INDIA MADE ITS OWN 5GI PLATFORM 5G facilities will also create new employment
Prime Minister Modi said in his address, “The opportunities. It is estimated that in the
country's own 5G standard which has been made
in the form of 5Gi, is a matter of great pride for coming decade and a half, 5G is going to
the country. It will play a big role in bringing 5G contribute $450 billion to India's economy.
technology to the villages of the country.” Actually, That is, it is not only going to increase the
the 5Gi mentioned by Prime Minister Modi means speed of the internet, but also the speed of
the Indian Standard of 5G. It has been made jointly progress and job creation. Therefore, both the
by IIT Hyderabad and Madras. This network standard government and the industry need to make
has already been approved by the International concerted efforts for 5G to start as soon as
Communications Unit. It works on the low spectrum. possible. By the end of this decade, we can
Actually, a large population of the country lives in also launch the 6G service, for this also our
villages and remote areas. In such a situation, efforts task force has started working.
are being made to provide better network connectivity -Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
in these areas. 5Gi is an effort in this direction.

calls and data should not be expensive. Hence same time, the number of broadband subscribers is
healthy competition was promoted in the telecom more than 79 crores. Till 2014, this number was only
market. Today, broadband connectivity has reached around 6.1 crore. But after 4G, now it is the turn of
about two and a half lakh gram panchayats. 5G service.
The access of more and more Indians to the India is making rapid strides in this field. Taking
phone and the Internet has opened new doors a step towards self-reliance in this direction,
of possibilities. This has laid the foundation for a India has started indigenous 5G testbeds. It was
strong digital infrastructure in the country. 4 lakh launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a
Common Service Centers across the country are function organized on the silver jubilee year of
not only providing facilities to remote areas but have Telecom Regulatory of India (TRAI) held on 17
also become the basis of livelihood for the people. May. The Prime Minister said that connectivity
Today, India is included in the list of countries in in 21st-century India will determine the pace of
the world with the lowest average cost of internet progress of the country. Therefore connectivity has
data and the highest number of subscribers in the to be modernized at every level. He said that 5G
telecom sector covering broadband. Currently, the technology is also going to bring positive changes
average rate of 1 GB of data in India is around Rs 10. in the country's governance, ease of living, and ease
The average data usage per person is 14.3 GB. At the
of doing business. g

New India Samachar June 16-30, 2022 33