BSNL to launch 5G services jointly with telcos globally
New Delhi : State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is expected to introduce ultra-high-speed fifth-generation or 5G services in tandem with the global launch, a senior official said.
BSNL is deeply working together with multinational telecommunication companies such as Nokia, Coriant and ZTE on a 5G technology roadmap and aims to reveal enterprise as well as consumer services starting 2020.
“BSNL will launch 5G services the same day as their launch globally,” BSNL Chief General Manager Anil Jain said.
At the Mobile Device Summit 2018 hosted by industry body The Mobile Association (TMA), Jain added that the state-driven telco would not miss the 5G bus similar to the belated adoption of 3G and 4G technologies.
The newly-formed telecom group TMA, conversely, believes that with telcos running trials as a precursor to the commercial launch of 5G services, the availability of 5G-enabled smartphones is equally important.
In February this year, BSNL and Japan’s NTT Advance Technology Corporation with its India partner Virgo Corporation have signed a MoU to work together on creating a 5G test bed.
It is crucial for all stakeholders to team up proactively to develop a robust end-to-end 5G mobile ecosystem, Vipin Tyagi, Executive Director, Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) said.
In March 2017, Nokia has entered into an arrangement with BSNL to leverage its global experience in 5G-related industry initiatives focusing on software defined network (SDN) and multi-access edge computing.
The telecom public sector undertaking company, in September last year, has also partnered with the US-based packet optical and mobile routing solutions company Coriant to study and set up 5G-based industrial internet applications for enterprise customers.
Previously, BSNL chairman Anupam Shrivastava said that telco’s partnership with Coriant was based on technological information sharing especially in the areas such as waste management, healthcare and education.
The Telco headquartered in Delhi has already hunted airwaves in the premium 700 Mhz band from the Department of Telecom (DoT) for also launching 5G, besides 4G services.
Recently, a the department of Telecom panel said that airwaves in the 700 Mhz, 3.5 Ghz, 24 Ghz and 28 Ghz bands can be made immediately available for the 5G service.
