Homegrown telecom gear makers – VVDN, Lekha Wireless, Galore Networks and Niral Networks along with C-DOT have started 5G trials for BSNL using the 700 MHz spectrum band in Delhi.
The areas where the trials are going on are Chanakyapuri, Minto Road, Karol Bagh, Rajendra Nagar and Shadipur.
Once successful, the commercial deployment of 5G using local equipments similar to that of 4G will help BSNL reduce costs and lower import burden.”As part of a public-private partnership, BSNL (MTNL) has invited Indian companies to deploy and showcase their 5G solutions in their live operational network. In addition to delighting subscribers with this transformational change to their mobile services, BSNL (MTNL) will also be supporting Indian-owned 5G mobile network equipment manufacturers, with this initiative,” said Rakesh Bhatnagar, director general of VoICE (Voice of Indian Communication Technology Enterprises).
VoICE represents homegrown telecom gear makers. Notably, at this stage the local players have not got any financial support from BSNL or the government in deploying the equipments for 5G trials. However, owing to their weak financial position, the companies would require government support and order flow going forward. According to Bhatnagar, TCS has also taken up a similar trial run in Delhi.
In addition, other VoICE teams led by C-DoT, Signaltron, WiSiG, BigCat Wireless, Wireless 4 Space (IIT Delhi), ITI, ECIL, Tidal Wave and some more are ready to go for similar 5G trial runs by Diwali in multiple locations across the country provided any positive signals come out of the first set of 5G live deployments, he said.
Lately, BSNL is deploying 4G using the indigenous stack by Tejas, TCS, and C-DOT, across the country.
“Support is required not only from the government for R&D funding but operators also in offering encouraging commercial models to domestic 5G partners which will help domestic companies to gradually scale up the 5G roll out,” said Lekha Wireless.
VVDN said there is a need to move forward with more site deployments commercially and run the entire system with live traffic to observe.
