The Indian telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and Bharti Airtel, will be ready for 5G networks. The telcos are already testing their 5G solutions and networks in different parts of the country. Whenever the right time for the launch of the networks arrive, the operators will be ready in terms of network capacity and coverage. Of course, the operators will keep on investing in their networks for years even after the PAN-India launch just to boost capacity and coverage further like they are doing with 4G.
Work from Home Environment to Boost Demand for 5G
During the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing became pretty evident - the need for seamless internet connectivity. This can only be possible if the users are living in a good network coverage area where the telco of their choice has enough capacity in its networks to fulfil the demand of the users even in peak times and avoid network congestion scenarios. The 5G networks are expected to come with much more capacity than the 4G networks as they will have to deliver much more speeds to users around the country. According to a PTI report, Sanjay Malik, Senior Vice President & Head of India Market, Nokia, said that India had become a potential market for the company because of the recent spectrum auctions. In the recent auctions, the telcos were seen investing a lot of their money in the 4G spectrum so that they can start with building the backhaul and the transport for 5G networks. With the work from home environment that has kicked in, Nokia is confident about making a good fortune in the Indian market as the telcos’ need for network equipment for 5G will be pretty high. Even Malik agrees that the telcos will go with a phased launch where they will first launch the 5G networks in metro cities and then expand the networks in the smaller cities of India.
