Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke at the launch of Chardham Fiber Connectivity and the 2,00,000th 5G site in Dehradun. (PTI file)
“The most sophisticated and complex equipment in a telecom tower is the radio equipment. In this category, equipment made in India is usually installed in the US,” says Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Engineers in India have started receiving patents in 6G technology, with the number around 100 as of now, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and IT.
While speaking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, Vaishnaw said that in the case of 5G, India will share the stage with the world, but in 6G technology, the country can take the lead.
“The country is now becoming an exporter of technology. Today, the additional secretary called me and said US wants to use India’s 4G, 5G technology,” he said at a press event for the launch of Chardham Fiber Connectivity and the 2,00,000th 5G site in Dehradun.
He further noted that given the pace, it is possible that there will be 3,00,000 sites by December 31.
Elaborating on India as a technology supplier, the minister said: “The most advanced and complex equipment in a telecom tower is the radio equipment. In this category, the equipment made in India is mainly installed in the US.”
India launched 5G in October 2022 and it was the fastest technology rollout in the country.
According to the data, telecommunications service providers (TSPs) have installed about 10,000 Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) every week. At the end of March, services were available in 500 cities across the country and the 5G network has now reached more than 3,000 cities across 685 districts.
While speaking about BSNL, the Union Minister said, “The deployment of India’s 4G and 5G stack started with BSNL. Between Chandigarh and Dehradun, at 200 locations, the installation has been completed and will go live in two weeks.”
“The BSNL stack is basically 4G upgradable to 5G. In November or December, with just a minor software change, the network will become 5G,” he added.
Regarding connectivity in border areas, Vaishnaw stated that the plan of vibrant villages will help such regions. He also said 1,581 villages need 4G service. The cabinet has already approved resources for this and responsibility has been placed with BSNL.
“It is important to use India’s 4G and 5G stack so that cybersecurity concerns can be reduced,” noted Vaishnaw.
In March 2023, details of India’s 6G plans were released. The Prime Minister introduced the Bharat 6G Vision Document and opened the 6G R&D testbed. The paper will be critical in accelerating India’s adoption of new technology.
The government has already formed a top committee to manage the project and address issues such as standardization, spectrum identification for 6G use, funding for research and development and creating an ecosystem.
The government has decided to split India’s 6G mission into two parts: Phase 1 between 2023 and 2025 and Phase 2 between 2025 and 2030.
