Jio tests 5G in Gujarat using the mmWave band

The minimum roll-out requirements state that carriers must implement mmWave 5G by the end of the first year following the day they acquired the spectrum.

Leading Indian telecom provider Reliance Jio has tested 5G in the mmWave (millimetre wavelength) band with great success. The Gujarat Licenced Service Area (LSA) was the location of the exam. The Gujarat DoT (Department of Telecommunications) wing announced the development. This test was conducted to meet the minimum roll-out requirements. The minimum roll-out requirements state that carriers must implement mmWave 5G by the end of the first year following the day they acquired the spectrum.

Reliance Jio attained spectrum in several bands, including 700 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz, at the last spectrum auction, which took place in 2022. Only Reliance Jio has conducted tests in the 3300 MHz frequency and mmWave spectrum as of yet. It's expected that Bharti Airtel will also follow up. It's improbable that Vodafone Idea (Vi) will be able to meet the minimum rollout requirements. Without sufficient funding, the telco is unable to place a commercial order with vendors for 5G equipment.

Vodafone Idea is the only significant telecom provider in India that has not yet introduced 5G services. Telecom companies must commercially introduce 5G services in both metro and non-metro circles in accordance with government regulations. 36 test tower locations have been deployed by the business for its 5G experiments, which are now being conducted in Delhi and Pune. Once orders have been placed with equipment makers, commercial deployment will start.

The 5G services from Reliance Jio are currently accessible in 6258 Indian cities and municipalities. The only telco in the nation utilising spectrum bands like 700 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 2.6 GHz for 5G standalone (SA) deployments is Reliance Jio. For the time being, the enterprise market will be the only one with a demand for 2.6 GHz spectrum services.

It is extremely challenging for the telecoms to monetize 5G because of the restricted use cases for consumers. Furthermore, the telcos are presently spending in building out a comprehensive 5G coverage, until that happens they won't charge customers any further fees. For the past ten months, subscribers of Jio and Airtel have had access to 5G at no additional cost.

Considering that the 5G rollout in India is still in progress, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel aim to provide nationwide coverage by the end of the year. On October 1^st, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the availability of 5G in India at the India Mobile Congress held in Delhi. It is anticipated that by the end of 2023, 75% of the population will have access to the fifth-generation cellular network, which is currently operational across the nation.