BSNL set to meet target date for global launch of 5G services
20 Jun 2018
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State-run telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is expected to roll out ultra high-speed fifth generation or 5G telecom services in India as and when such services are launched globally.
BSNL is working with multinational vendors such as Nokia, Coriant and ZTE on a 5G technology roadmap and aims to unveil services – both enterprise as well as consumer — by 2020.
BSNL had, in September last year, roped in US-based packet optical and mobile routing solutions company Coriant to study and deploy 5G-based industrial internet applications in India.
“BSNL will launch 5G services the same day as their launch globally,” BSNL chief general manager Anil Jain said.
The state-run telco, which made a belated adoption of 3G and 4G technologies, however, has decided not to miss the 5G bus, Jain said while speaking at the Mobile Device Summit 2018, hosted by industry body The Mobile Association (TMA).
Vipin Tyagi, executive director, Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), called for proactive collaboration among all stakeholders to develop a robust end-to-end 5G mobile ecosystem.
TMA, meanwhile, pointed out that much like the infrastructure and ecosystem for 5G services, the availability of 5G-enabled smartphones is equally important.
In February this year, BSNL signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) to collaborate on creating a 5G test bed with Japan’s NTT Advance Technology Corporation and its India partner Virgo Corporation .
In March 2017, Finish gear company Nokia entered into an arrangement with BSNL to leverage its global experience in 5G-related industry initiatives focusing on software defined network (SDN) and multi-access edge computing.
Earlier, BSNL chairman Anupam Shrivastava said the collaboration with US-based packet optical and mobile routing solutions company Coriant was aimed at studying and deploying 5G-based industrial internet applications for enterprise customers.
He said BSNL’s partnership with Coriant was based on technological information sharing especially in the areas such as waste management, healthcare and education.
BSNL has already sought airwaves in the premium 700 MHz band from the Department of Telecom (DoT) for launching 5G, besides 4G services.
Recently, a DoT panel said that airwaves in the 700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, 24 GHz and 28 GHz bands can be made immediately available for the 5G service.
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