Affordable 5G services to roll out in India by October 12: Govt

Earlier, the government had said that 5G connectivity would launch in the country by September 29.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that high-speed 5G services would be available in most parts of the country in two-three years, adding that the stable rollout of the network in major circles is expected by October 12. Earlier, the government had said that 5G connectivity would launch in the country by September 29. Airtel, on the other hand, had promised its availability this month.

News agency PTI, quoting the minister at a press conference, reports that India offers one of the most affordable mobile plans in the world, and the trend will continue with 5G services. "We expect an investment of around Rs 2.5-3 lakh crore to come into the industry. Rs 3 lakh crore is a big investment. This is also leading to good employment generation. Our estimate is 5G will reach almost all parts of the country in the next 2-3 years", the news agency reported quoting minister Vaishnaw.

DoT had earlier announced that the high-speed 5G internet would rollout in 13 major Indian cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune.

At the latest press conference, the union minister further spoke about the new Right of Way (RoW) rules, which essentially clarify charges levied on laying cables, access to public poles, and more. The new rules offer relief to private firms when it comes to seeking approval for laying down the infrastructure. Minister Vaishnaw, "Earlier, it took 343 days for RoW approvals, which has now come down to 22 days. Last July, the average was even better, which was 16 days. This is a clear impact of reforms undertaken by the prime minister."

The government believes that the amended ROW will pave the way for companies to offer affordable 5G services in the country. Vaishnaw added that investments worth up to Rs 60,000 crore have already been made in the telecom sector related to 5G in India.

Currently, clarity from major telcos is awaited. As mentioned, Airtel said its 5G services would start rolling out this month, but it may extend the goal to next month. Jio had also hinted at the rollout soon, but more details are awaited. Vi (formerly Vodafone Idea) has not provided a date yet.