Making it happen in India

As the country goes ahead with 5G trials here is what to expect from it, the challenges and opportunities, and things that need to be done to make it a success.

By Amit Marwah

The Department of Telecom (DoT) on 4th May 2021 approved the applications of CSPs for 5G trials in India. It is not just another step in the journey towards 5G. Rather, it should be seen as a catalyst that will trigger a major shift in how digital services are delivered to the market and consumed by the customers. 5G will allow the CSPs to look beyond the traditional voice and data business and roll out new business models.

Compared to previous technologies, 5G has the capability to open new service dimensions by accelerating digitization, enable new revenue streams and boost industrial efficiency across verticals.

Enabling capabilities beyond mobile broadband

5G can deliver extreme broadband and ultra-robust, low latency connectivity, and massive networking for the internet of things (IoT) to enable the programmable world, which can transform our individual lives, economy, and society. The diverse range of 5G use cases can be grouped under three main categories.

Extreme mobile broadband: Over 10 Gbps peak data rates and 100 Mbps average speed along with high mobility will allow services like AR/VR, Ultra HD streaming, and broadband access on high-speed trains among others. Further, with Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), communication service providers (CSP) can offer fiber-like speeds to remote areas and locations where fiber laying is not feasible, in addition to offering it to enterprises as an alternative to fixed broadband.

Critical machine-type communication: Also known as Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communications (uRLLC) allows ultra-low latency (~ 1ms) and ultra-reliable connectivity (< 10-5 packet drop) for mission-critical services. Major use cases in this category include autonomous vehicles, remote surgeries, robotics, transportation, electric grids among others.

Massive machine-type communications: This is also known as massive IoT, and it allows connecting up to 1 million devices per square km to support applications that use a high number of endpoints/ devices that serve a small amount of data, mostly infrequently and to even remote locations. These devices are typically low-cost, use very little energy and offer good coverage. Major use cases would include agriculture, smart homes, fleet management, smart meters, and smartwatches among others.

Global 5G uptake has been rapid 

5G is rolling out faster than any previous generation of mobile technology, nearly 3x faster than 4G, and is projected to reach one billion global users in just 3.5 years. Research by Nokia Bell Labs in 2020 found that 5G has the potential to contribute USD8 trillion to global GDP by 2030, with industries as diverse as mining, entertainment, transportation, and healthcare all set to reap enormous benefits.

CSPs worldwide have realized its potential and as per the GSA report, by mid-April 2021, a total of 162 operators in 68 countries/territories had launched one or more 3GPP-compliant 5G services.

The 5G potential in India 

As per the estimates, 5G has the potential to create a cumulative economic impact of USD1 trillion in India by 2035. Implementation of 5G and associated technologies will help drive digital transformation to achieve the goal of digital empowerment and improve the well-being of the people and society.

CSPs in India, reeling under huge debts, is banking heavily on 5G to increase their average revenue per user (ARPU) for growth. 5G will empower the CSPs and enterprises to reshape their business models to launch innovative services. As per the GSMA Intelligence forecast, 5G connection in India is expected to reach 6% of the total population by 2025 (72 million) and 93% by 2040.

Gearing up for 5G – trials, opportunities, use cases 

The DoT has allocated the spectrum for 5G trials in different bands that include mid-band (3.2 GHz to 3.67 GHz), the millimeter-wave band (24.25 GHz to 28.5 GHz), and low band (700 GHz). 5G performance characteristics are closely linked to the spectrum band. Low-band offers blanket coverage but the speed is incrementally better than 4G. The mid-band, the most preferred brand for 5G, can carry plenty of data while also traveling significant distances. The millimeter-wave band delivers super-fast speeds but over short distances.

The trials offer a great opportunity for the CSPs to evaluate the 5G performance across different bands, terrains, and configurations and be better prepared for large-scale commercial deployment in terms of planning, roll-out strategy, use cases, and ecosystem readiness. For the telecom vendors, the trials would allow them to showcase the technical prowess of their 5G solutions in terms of data speed, latency, and massive connectivity and substantiate the benefits.

Key use cases for India would include among others rural connectivity, Industry 4.0, Fixed Wireless Access, Tele-medicine, Tele-education, AR/VR applications, and agricultural monitoring.

Realizing the full potential of 5G 

5G has a huge potential for value creation in India as the pace of digitization is accelerating. But in order to realize its full potential, technology evolution isn’t the only thing, Government, CSPs, telecom vendors, and businesses will all have a role to play. The government needs to provide a framework that encourages investment in 5G while CSPs and the industry as a whole need to educate the consumers and enterprises on the benefits of 5G and how it can transform their lives and business.

Let’s get together to make 5G a success story in India.

Marwah is Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs (CMO), Nokia India

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