5G spectrum auction has concluded recently and 5G is all set to go live in India soon.
Jio, Airtel and Vi gearing up to launch 5G in India.
Here's everything you need to know about 5G launch in India.
The 5G launch in India is now closer than ever with 5G spectrum auctions concluding recently. Telecom operators such as Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vi (Vodafone India) are gearing up to launch 5G connectivity in India and will soon reveal details of tariff plans ahead of the 5G rollout. As per a recent report by Ookla, 89% of smartphone users in India want to upgrade to 5G and mobile phone brands have been preparing for the onset of 5G by seeding 5G-ready phones in the hands of consumers for the past 3-4 years now. If you are someone who’s thinking about how 5G will affect your life after its launch and are just curious in general about the different 5G bands or just want to know whether you will need a new 5G SIM to access 5G services, we have got answers to all these questions and more for you in this article.
5G vs 4G
The 4G networks were designed keeping in mind maximum smartphone use cases whereas 5G takes it to the next level by offering increased bandwidth and higher data speeds. This means that 5G networks can handle more concurrent connections than 4G supporting upto 1 million devices for every square kilometer. It’s also got multitudes of use cases and can connect to a variety of devices outside of smartphones. In addition to streaming high-quality videos on the go and faster download speeds with 5G, a big push is also on how it will transform the gaming industry with cloud gaming and XR (Extended Reality) experiences.
5G bands in India
Jio 5G bands in India
The recently concluded 5G spectrum auctions in India allowed telecom operators to pave the way for 5G connectivity for consumers. Reliance Jio spent the most in acquiring multiple 5G bands across the low, mid and high-frequency bands across the 22 telecom circles in India, followed by Airtel and Vi.
Airtel 5G bands in India
Reliance Jio has acquired spectrum in 700MHz, 800MHz, 3300MHz and 26GHz bands while Airtel has bought spectrum in 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 3300MHz and 26GHz bands. Meanwhile, Vi has secured 5G spectrums in 900MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz, 2500MHz, 3300MHz and 26GHz bands.
Vi 5G bands in India
Out of all the 5G bands that were up for auction, the 700MHz band grabbed the most interest since it is believed to be a crucial part of enhancing the indoor coverage and forms the bulk of Jio’s 5G bands. These bands with lower frequencies are able to provide widespread coverage easily and very little data is lost in transmission which makes it cost-effective for telecom companies. Regardless, the mid-bands are what will be used by most consumers when the 5G services go live in India because they bring the perfect balance between fast speeds and extensive coverage.
5G in India: SA or NSA?
Deploying a 5G network doesn’t happen with a flick of a switch. It needs support from existing telecommunication architectures or has prerequisites for platforms anew. With 5G, there is the SA (standalone) architecture and NSA (non-standalone) architecture. Most telecom operators worldwide have 5G NSA deployments as it uses the existing 4G LTE platform, making it cost-effective in the larger scheme of things. As an industry practice, telecom mobile network operators begin deploying 5G services in NSA and gradually, move to SA.
You can think of NSA as a base service and the SA as a pro subscription to that service. Of course, you will get all the benefits of 5G such as high-speed internet connectivity on the go with NSA, but it's the SA which brings more advanced applications to the table like network slicing and enterprise services. Indian telecom operators like Jio, Airtel and Vi are likely to launch NSA based 5G services first, and six months to a year down the line will move to full stack 5G architecture. Expectedly, Jio has claimed that it will bring “true 5G” to India which hints at the possibility that Jio’s 5G network could be built on full end-to-end standalone architecture. Reliance Jio has also claimed that it has developed an indigenous 5G stack but it is an expensive affair.
When is 5G launching in India?
The 5G launch date in India is not set in stone since each telecom operator will have its unique strategy to kickstart India’s 5G journey. As per Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, 5G spectrum assignment letters have been issued which means that we will likely see 5G services go live in India by the end of August or early September.
5G update: Spectrum assignment letter issued. Requesting TSPs to prepare for 5G launch.
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) August 18, 2022
5G in India: Will you need a new 5G SIM?
No, you won’t need a new 5G SIM card from either Jio, Airtel or Vi for accessing 5G services, at least initially. Since the 5G services being launched in India are expected to be based on NSA standards, it will utilize existing 4G LTE networks to offer high-speed internet connectivity.
5G in India: Which cities will get 5G?
The 5G services in India are set to go live first in metro cities and will subsequently make their way to other regions. The telecom operators in India have bought 5G spectrum in all 22 telecom circles so its only a matter of time we get 5G pan-India.
5G in India: Jio, Airtel and Vi Tariff Plans Pricing
As 5G is rolled out in Indian cities, initially the tariff plan pricing is expected to be on the higher side and telecom operators such as Jio and Airtel are expected to charge a premium for the high-speed connectivity. As per industry experts, the 5G recharge plans pricing in India could be anywhere between 20-40% higher than the current 4G plans. Regardless, it is also expected that telcos like Jio and Airtel will try and woo customers with lucrative plans in a bid to increase their 5G user base. It will be interesting to see how Jio, Airtel and Vi price their 5G tariff plans and whether it will be a combination of high-speed connectivity at a premium or affordable data plans with limits.
Also read: How to check 5G Bands Supported By Your Phone?
India 5G Spectrum Explained: Why 700MHz Band Matters For Best 5G Coverage
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Siddharth Chauhan
Siddharth reports on gadgets, technology and you will occasionally find him testing the latest smartphones at Digit. However, his love affair with tech and futurism extends way beyond, at the intersection of technology and culture. View Full Profile
