India’s Department of Telecom has reportedly put facilitating 5G technology trials at the top of the agenda within its 100-day action plan for whichever party wins the upcoming Lok Sabha (lower house) elections.
The allocation of 5G trial licenses could take place as soon as the new government takes over, which could be in June.
The 100-day action plan also includes developing policy on trial spectrum and technology testing, standardization, regulatory policy and the establishment of use case labs, the report states.
Areas of focus include simplifying the process of obtaining experimental licenses as well as approvals for experimental products and services.
Depending on their readiness, operators could commence 5G network trials in June. The telecom ministry has recommended that the trial run for a three month period, with options to expand this to up to a year if operators need more time to prepare.
Samsung, Nokia and Ericsson have been approved to participate in the trials with incumbent operators Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. The government has not yet decided whether to allow the participation of Chinese vendors including Huawei.
