AN ERA OF 5G IN THE WORLD
India is one of the fastest-growing countries in terms of connectivity, and population as well. Gone are the days when we had to depend on a dial-up internet connection which took forever! Who here doesn’t start their day with a bunch of good messages on Whatsapp filling their inboxes? We want the internet and we want it fast, and 5G is here to take that to another level. In April 2019, the SK Telecom of South Korea claimed to be the first mobile carrier in the world to launch 5G services to work on 5G smartphones. 5G wireless technology is meant to deliver higher multi-Gbps peak data speed, ultra-low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to its users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connect new industries.
GLOBAL PROGRESS ON 5G
Global telecom companies have already started building 5G networks and rolling them out to their customers in many countries. 5G had been deployed in 50 cities in the United States, and South Korea has rolled out 59 to 85 cities. Japan and China have too started 5G mobile service on a trial basis. 293 operators in 98 countries are actively investing in 5G. Between them, operators have announced over 600 separate 5G demonstrations, tests, or trials that we have been able to identify. The world is poised to change forever with the implementation of fifth-generation connectivity for data networks across the world. 5G will bring faster data speeds, low latency communications, and higher data caps for mobile devices. Bharti Airtel, India’s Premier communication solutions provider, and Qualcomm Technologies inc announced their collaboration for accelerating 5G in India. Recently, Airtel become India’s first telco to demonstrate 5G over a live commercial network in the city of Hyderabad. The standing committee has been informed that 5G will roll out in India to some extent for specific users, by the end of the calendar year 2021 or the beginning of 2022. Reliance CEO Mukesh Ambani said that Jio will launch 5G services in India in the second half of 2021.
ADVANTAGES OF 5G
The main advantages of the 5G are a greater speed in transmissions, a lower latency and therefore greater capacity for remote execution, a greater number of connected devices, and the possibility of implementing a virtual network (network slicing) and providing more adjusted connectivity to concrete needs. 5G’s extraordinary speeds, greater capacity, and virtually unlimited connectivity will allow consumers to enjoy a smarter and more connected world with better mobile services, safer streets, and enhanced entertainment. 5G represents a huge potential for new revenue streams for carriers too. A 5G network means that large files can be transmitted quickly between doctors and hospitals, reducing the time that would otherwise be needed to move them across often underpowered legacy wired networks, prone to cuts and other service interruption issues. The reduction time that 5G brings means more timely diagnostics, second opinions, treatment starts, and adjustments since the medical data can be transmitted and consumed by doctors faster than ever before, whether at home or in the office. 5G will likely lead to greater labor productivity, boost companies, and global competitiveness, and improve public health and safety. In fact, 5G could well prove to be the key driver of national competitive advantage in the 2020s- just as US leadership in 4G technologies drove economic growth in the previous decade. 5G will bring enormous benefits to the Indian armed services over the next decade at least. 5G will generate higher data rates, and rapid transmission enabled by high bandwidth, and beyond the benefits, it brings to the civilian sector there are considerable military benefits as well. 5G for the Military could additionally improve Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) system and its processing; enable new methods of command and control (C2); and streamline logistics systems for increased efficiency among other uses.
CHALLENGES OF 5G
5G demands upgradation in the network as well as speed but unfortunately due to the lack of last-mile connectivity in rural India and non-uniformity in networking, speed implementation of 5G is still a big dream for India. The low speed of data and high rates in India is also a major issue for the deployment of 5G. The rollout of 5G technology won’t be an easy one and challenges are already starting to come to light as we step into this new era of connectivity. Even so, the benefits far outweigh the issues, as the roll-out of 5G also signals the dawn of autonomous vehicles, next-level smart cities, homes, and more. By building out infrastructure, updating policy, and rethinking the role we play in privacy, we all can do our part to prepare for the 5G era. Operators should collaborate to create an ecosystem capable of leveraging 5G technology. A favorable policy will indirectly provide employment, technology, and investment. The shift from 4G to 5G is not incremental in nature but transformational.
FUTURE OF 5G IN INDIA
5G networks offer the potential to transform industrial sectors and deliver significant social and economic benefits in India. Over the period 2023-40, we forecast that 5G technologies will make an overall contribution of approximately $450 billion to the Indian economy, 10.6% of GDP by 2040. The telecom sector has a major role to play in this journey to digitization as its forms the backbone for technologies for the masses. Whatever we see in terms of technological advancement- today we talk of tools like the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual reality, and 5G which will enable remote surgeries, driverless cars, etc. The recent covid situation has reinforced the fact that without telecom, economies will collapse. 5G is expected to deliver speeds up to 100 times faster than typical 4G technology. As 5G technologies have been continuously evolving, they will certainly change the way we spend our lives, our communication will be faster than you can imagine plus our connections will be stronger.
CONCLUSION
Earlier adoption of 5G will help encash current programs like Digital India, and Startup India towards becoming a frontrunner in the 4th Industrial Revolution driven by enhanced digital connectivity and a greater, diversified market which helps overcome issues like poverty, unemployment, increased presence in the global supply chain and will contribute in country’s economic progress.
