India has officially launched 5G at the India Mobile Congress, with services commencing in some cities this week. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the launch of 5G to usher in a new chapter in telecommunications in the country.
Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that over 200 cities in India will have access to 5G services in the coming six months, with services being eventually extended across the country in the next two years.
Bharti Airtel, for instance, has already rolled out 5G services in about 8 cities. Jio will be launching 5G services by the end of this month. Meanwhile, Vodafone has yet to firm up plans on when 5G will be launched, and BSNL will not be launching 5G until next year.
Vaishnaw said that 5G will bring about fundamental changes across sectors, including healthcare, education and agriculture. He also went on to state that “India will take a lead in 6G.”