5G, the fifth-generation mobile network was touted to be the next biggest thing but its successor is already knocking at the door. That being said, 5G has been an integral part of the Digital India flagship program. 5G services were launched by the honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on the 1st of October 2022. This was done during the 6th edition of IMC or the Indian Mobile Congress.
However, the talk of the town is 6G. This next-gen technology will likely be multiple times better than 5G, possibly even 10 times better. It is touted to provide lower latency while offering faster speeds.
Now the question arises as to whether India is ready to transition to 6G?Before discussing that however, it is important to know more about Bharat’s 6G mission which is an upcoming mission that aims to improve India’s position in the telecom space.
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What is Bharat 6G Mission?
Recently, our Prime Minister announced the Bharat 6G Vision in a document and announced the 6G research and development testbed. According to the document mentioned above, key areas of use for the new generation of networking will include
1. Self-Driving Cars
2. Wearable technology
3. Smart factories and improved sustainability
As per the document, the government is planning to launch 6G in two phases. An apex body has also been assigned to ensure that the project is smoothly implemented. The aim is to allow for the tackling of issues of finance, development and the creation of a proper ecosystem.
Additionally, the council will also aim to aid in the finance of the Research and development of the next-gen network. It will also facilitate improvised development of the same by Indian bodies of research, organisations and even companies.
Another aspect that will be under the watchful eye of the institution will be up-and-coming technologies. This includes tactile internet, AI, waveform chips and Terahertz communication.
Initially, as a part of Phase 1, the government aims to provide aid to new and innovative ideas, with proof-of-concept or POC tests. The ones that are promising or show some sort of uniqueness will be backed further for development till completion. For this, the use cases for these ideas will be assessed and implemented, as a part of the 2nd phase of the program.
Furthermore, the Bharat 6G mission is touted to be in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. It does so by empowering citizens to be self-reliant. It will also help India’s mission to be a leading supplier to telecom companies in the world, with affordable and advanced offerings that are for the betterment of people.
Is India Ready for 6G?
The elephant in the room is undoubtedly whether or not the nation is ready for 6G. This comes at a time when India’s rollout of 5G began a few months ago, with it yet to reach the masses and become completely accessible.
To add to this, the timeline for 6G in the nation is set for 2030, which is quite a bit later than some might think. This new technology however will truly be a step up. 6G will likely support data rates of 1 terabit in a second. Meaning that the use cases will expand to ideas such as holograms and AR products, which is truly revolutionary.
Not only this, but the technology is also the first to allow for connection between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networking elements, which will enable a device to work between multiple technologies, bringing with it a revolutionary change and connecting millions of, if not billions of machines.
What is the State of 5G in India?
Despite all of this hype regarding 6G, it is necessary to assess the state of 5G and its rollout in the nation. The top telecom provider, Reliance Jio hopes for a pan-India presence of the 5th generation network towards the end of 2023. The largest competitor for Reliance, Bharti Airtel is also hoping to do the same by March of next year. VI or Vodafone Idea will also be joining the 5G race in the coming months.
Multiple cities in the nation, such as Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore, Benaras and Mumbai, to name a few have already received 5G, with other, smaller cities expected to receive proper support in the coming months. Telecom providers are working to improve 5G deployment to reach the targets set by them.
Certain reports also suggest that 5G connections in India will soar to around 370 million subscribers by the end of 2026. Considering that the rollout is yet to be completed these numbers may vary. They indicate that there is hype and demand for the next best thing. This means that 6G will be welcomed by enthusiasts in the nation with open arms when the time comes.
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