Telecom Body To Take Call On 5G Trials Next Month

Digital Communications Commission, erstwhile Telecom Commission, the highest policy making body of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), is expected to meet in mid June to decide on pending key proposals, including approval of 5G trials.

The approval has to be given at the earliest as the government plans to go for another round of spectrum auction in the second half of this fiscal.

The government is yet to allocate 5G spectrum for start of field trials. The spectrum will be allotted for three months, wherein specific India use cases will be developed by network equipment makers in partnership with telecom players.

A DoT committee recently cleared the proposal to allow Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio to conduct 5G spectrum trials next month for a period of three months. For these trials, equipment vendors Samsung, Nokia and Ericsson have been selected. The issue of giving permission to Chinese player Huawei for 5G trials is also pending.

Globally, South Korea, North America, Japan and China are expected to start 5G operations in the next one to two years.―DNA India