Nokia in talks with Indian telcos to start 5G network trials

Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia Networks is in talks with Indian telecom operators to start trials of next generation 5G networks even as the country is yet to fully roll out 4G technology-based mobile voice and data services.

Nokia is currently testing fifth-generation technology with global telecom giants like US-based Verizon, Korean SK Telecom and Japan's NTT Docomo.

The 5G technology will offer 100 megabit per second speed at homes and will be capable of handling 1,000 times more data traffic when it will be commercialised by 2020, and Nokia may begin shifting to 5G as early as 2017.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event, Nokia Networks head of mobile broadband Milivoj Vela said that 5G will focus on data services while voice calls will be facilitated through 4G technology.

In India, Nokia Networks is part of Telecommunications Standards Development Society, which is working on 5G, and is in discussion with telecom operators to start 5G trials.

However, Indian telcos are still investing in 4G technology to roll out the fourth-generation networks and large parts of the country are yet to be covered under the high-speed data and voice services.

"Discussion about spectrum (at global level) in which 5G will operate will finish by 2019. Commercial 5G deployment will start in 2020. Then you will see 100 mbps guaranteed speed everywhere," Vela said.

He said that 5G will operate in spectrum band above 6,000 Mhz and the technology will be launched in phases.

"One cell (mobile antenna) in 5G will be able to handle 1,000 times more data traffic in 2020 compared to data traffic in 2010. We have already achieved 1 million devices connected to single cell site and 30 gbps speed on 73 Ghz band in lab," Vela said.

Nokia demonstrated how networks for Cloud Era can benefit from virtualisation and automation with less hardware and how all this impacts efficiency, quality, innovation and business opportunities. Through its converged offering for mobile, fixed, IP and optical networks, Nokia is blending connectivity together and providing a new grid for the programmable world.

Nokia also demonstrated how it is making internet of things (IoT) a reality for smart cities, smart homes and public safety. The demos showcased how to manage the connectivity of myriad people and things, and how to eliminate ''slow and complex'' from creating IoT applications – and how it can be done in a secure manner.

Jacques Vermeulen, director, Smart Cities, Customer Operations, Nokia, talked about how Nokia is making IoT a reality. The world is becoming more urbanised, with exponentially more connected devices. For every device connected to the internet today, 10 more will join it in the near future.

Through IoT and smart city concepts, we can automate our lives by connecting mobile devices to appliances, lights, roadways and just about everything – a shift that will improve efficiency and enable economic, social and environmental sustainability, he said.

Nokia provides specific connectivity solutions, platforms and software, combining automation and intelligence, making IoT a reality for smart cities, smart homes and public safety, he said, adding that Nokia business groups can provide mobile and fixed solutions, IT platforms, analytics, security and related service capabilities such as multi-vendor system integration.