India is gearing up to embrace 5G technology. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman RS Sharma reportedly encourages using locally manufactured equipment in core telecom networks.
“5G is important for India from a strategic point of view. Trai has given a recommendation two years back to the government as to why it is important for us to manufacture telecom equipment locally. I think it is strategically important,” said Sharma at a telecom summit organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce.
It is worth noting that Mr. Sharma proposed this recommendation to the government after consulting all stakeholders involved. He even emphasized that companies should not lose control on the core network.
“If you have your core network coming out from somebody else and you don’t understand what’s happening inside. That’s the best way people can get all your information. Therefore, it is strategically important to have control over that,” Sharma added.
Sharma suggested considering 5G implementation from a strategic point of view. “5G is quantum jump over 4G. Time to communicate on 5G is very less. We may not need driverless cars, remote surgery but we certainly need smart cities, smart energy, fixed wireless access and there are many used cases,” he said.
The TRAI chairman also advised using a common infrastructure for 5G which could help reduce huge investment costs for private telecom sectors. India’s 5G is expected to go mainstream in 2023 and will hopefully hit the mass market starting in 2025.
If you’re wondering when your country will get 5G services, our article on the same here would certainly be helpful. So, what are your thoughts on using locally sourced equipment for 5G infrastructure in India? Tell us in the comments.
