5G Network launch date: Expect roll out of high-speed internet services by this time, says minister

The 5G spectrum auction concluded with bids worth Rs 1,50,173 crore for 71 per cent of total 5G airwaves. The bidding was led by Reliance Jio which acquired 24,740 MHz spectrum in different bands worth Rs 88,078 crore, while Bharti Airtel was the second highest bidder with 19,867 MHz spectrum worth Rs 43,084 crore. Vodafone Idea secured 2,668 MHz spectrum worth Rs 18,784 crore.  

Meanwhile, with the successful bidding of the 5G spectrum, the telcos are gearing up for the roll out of high-speed internet network at the earliest. It is expected that the 5G services will be provided to select locations within this month or by the year-end. 

Last week, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, said that 5G allocation will be made by August 10, while the services are expected to be rolled out from October.  

"The 5G services will be launched by October. In all, bids worth Rs 1,50,173 crore were received," he had said 

The government is expected to earn Rs 13,365 crore in the first year, the minister had said.  

As per Devusinh Chauhan, Minister of State for Communications, the roll out of the high-speed internet services may begin sooner than expected.  

He said 5G mobile services will roll out in the country in about a month's time, as per news agency PTI 

"It will have multiplier effects on the development of all sectors. A 6G Technology Innovations Group, has also been set up, which is working towards the development of indigenous 6G stack," said Ministry of Communication in a press release on Monday.  

The minister said the recent 5G spectrum auction has fetched bids of 20 billion dollars. "This very well, reflects the confidence and sentiments, of the Indian telecom industry,” said the Minister. 

To extend the state-of-the-art telecom facilities to the last person of the society and in sync with the ‘Antyodaya’ philosophy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid down a clear roadmap to address the digital divide, said Chauhan. 

"It includes taking optical fibers to all 6 lakh villages of the country, and also cover all these villages with 4G mobile communications. Around 1,75,000 villages are already provided with optical fibre, while around 5,60,000 villages have 4G mobile facilities. A multi-billion-dollar, comprehensive plan has been made, which will ensure optical fibre and mobile communications in all six hundred thousand villages by 2025," he added