Bharti Airtel conducts India’s first 5G trial in the 700 MHz band with Nokia

Bharti Airtel has successfully conducted a 5G trial in the 700 MHz band with Nokia. Notably, the telco has become the first to conduct a 5G trial in the said band.

Bharti Airtel, Nokia Conduct 5G Trial in the 700 MHz Band

In a press release, the telco noted that the Dot allocated the premium spectrum band to it for the ongoing 5G trials. Furthermore, the trial happened on the outskirts of Kolkata, the first 5G trial in East India.

The telco said that it achieved 5G broadband network coverage between two 3GPP-standard sites in real life. The network, propagated over the 700 MHz band, provided coverage of 40 km. Airtel also said that it used equipment from Nokia’s 5G portfolio, which included Nokia AirScale radios and SA core.

On the occasion, Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel, said, "Today, we are delighted to conduct India’s first 5G demo in the coveted 700 MHz bands in the city to showcase the power of this technology standard".

Sekhon also expressed hope that the Center might reduce 5G spectrum pricing in the upcoming sale. He further added, "India can unlock the digital dividend and build a truly connected society with broadband for all".

On the same note, Naresh Asija, VP and Head of Bharti CT, Nokia, said, “5G deployment using 700 MHz spectrum is helping communications service providers across the world to cost-effectively provide mobile broadband in remote areas, where typically it is challenging for them to set up the network infrastructure. Nokia is at the forefront in the development of the global 5G ecosystem, and we look forward to supporting Airtel on its 5G journey".

Airtel had also recently announced its #5GforBusiness initiative. Airtel will use the same to show off its 5G network, live in Manesar. It will further test out a wide range of enterprise-grade use cases. Given 5G’s capabilities, specifically the low latency and high network capacity, Airtel now has set its sights on enterprise customers. These customers can deliver high financial dividends, and to some extent, bragging rights. After all, India’s telecom market has a history of oneupmanship, and Airtel wants to one-up everyone in the 5G department.