5G- A new digital revolution for India

India made a significant generational leap in mobile telephony on Saturday as the 5G network was officially launched in the country. India is all set to witness a new digital revolution, thanks to 5G technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who inaugurated the services at the 6th India Mobile Congress, 2022 promised that the high-speed internet which comes with speeds of at least 100 Mbps, would boost economic growth and empower citizens.

As India enters the 5G club, many industry leaders and experts shared their views and opinions on the same:

Sanjay Malik, Sr. Vice President and Head of India Market, Nokia:

“Nokia is committed towards and fully prepared to support our partners in ushering in the 5G era in India. We welcome all measures taken by the Government to facilitate the deployment of 5G technology. Our global experience in 5G rollouts shows that it will provide a strong impetus to socioeconomic growth and industrial development, contributing to the GDP and mission of Digital Bharat.”

Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India: “5G will usher in a new wave of opportunities for businesses, unlocking the next level of growth for the country. More than just seamless connectivity and fast speed, 5G technology is going to revolutionize businesses and industries, enhancing advancements, and innovation & R&D while also improving customer experiences. 5G will be a key driver for Digital India initiatives and realizing Design in India opportunities leveraging disruptive technologies like AI, cloud, IoT, and others across the ecosystem. We foresee India becoming a major hub for cutting-edge semiconductor R&D and design and the rollout of 5G services will accelerate the next wave of digital transformation. MediaTek congratulates the people of India and we are extremely proud to be a part of this significant milestone in India’s journey towards atmanirbharta.”

Arvind Bali, CEO, Telecom Sector Skill Council: “We applaud our hon’ble PM on this landmark announcement of the long-waited launch of 5G services in India. Numerous opportunities will arise for the skilled workforce in India as the demand for 5G services rises. For an estimate, in FY2021–2022 around 36,000+ competent workers were needed in India for 5G and allied technologies. Due to the increased use of internet services and apps, the demand for better telecom networks, and currently the implementation of 5G network, this gap will only widen. In order to meet this demand, TSSC has already developed courses in 5G and related technologies and created multiple Centers of Excellence and training centres across the country. To close this gap, we have also teamed up with various government, academic, and business stakeholders. India is home to a sizable talent pool, hence it is crucial that the youth is skilled, upskilled, or reskilled for this new network technology.”

Manoranjan (Mao) Mohapatra, CEO, Comviva:

"The rollout of 5G network in India will be a crucial enabler for digital transformation. We applaud our hon’ble PM on announcing the launch of the 5G services in the country. Apart from catering to the customers, the 5G technology will also add an intrinsic value to the enterprise segment in the country. The global market for 5G-enabled business applications is expected to grow to $20 billion USD over the five years and India will be a critical contributor to this expansion. 5G will not only improve connectivity across the country but also reinvent the customer experience for telco consumers apart from the traditional calling and internet services."

Manish Vyas, President, Communications, Media and Entertainment Business, and CEO, Network Services, Tech Mahindra:

“5G ecosystem will unlock immense opportunities for industries across sectors, allowing them to experiment with myriad ideas to innovate and fuel the next level of growth possibilities. 5G is not just a generational leap in Network technology, it is a platform for Innovation. I often say that 5G is like the last piece of the Industry 4.0 jigsaw puzzle, that will spearhead the next wave of digital disruption, taking us a step closer to realizing our dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat and technological supremacy. We are extremely excited about 5G and would like to congratulate the government and the people of India on this momentous day that has made 5G a reality.”

Agendra Kumar, MD, Esri India said, “The launch of 5G is truly a watershed moment for us and we are proud to be a part of this journey. As we enter this new dawn of technological disruption, the advent of 5G will not only revolutionize the Indian telecom industry but will have a huge social, economic, and global impact. In all this, GIS technology and geospatial infrastructure will play a pivotal role in helping Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in designing and managing their networks, assets, and operations in an integrated way, and be agile enough to grow as their business requirements change, while ensuring next-generation customer experience. Together, 5G and GIS will play a transformational role in the success of Digital India.”