India to get 6G by 2023 end or 2024, India’s communications minister says while the country still waits for 5G rollout

• India will get 6G technology by 2023 end or 2024 as per Ashwini Vaishnaw.
• Vaishnaw added that telecom equipment and software will be developed in India.
• The 5G spectrum auction is expected in the first half of 2022.

India has delayed the rollout of 5G technology in India and the country’s telcos earlier this month received a 6-month extension from the government to conduct 5G trials.

While the country still waits for 5G, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Communication is confident that India will be able to roll out 6G technology by 2023-end or early 2024.

India to use indigenously developed technology

Vaishnaw said that requisite permissions have been given to the scientists and engineers working on the technology. This was said during a webinar organised by the Financial Times and The New Indian Express.

“6G development has already started. That will be seen somewhere in the time frame 2024 or 2023-end. That is the direction in which we are going. We will have designed in India telecom software for running the networks, manufactured in India telecom equipment, served in India telecom networks which can go global,” Vaishnaw said.

As per Vasihnaw, 6G technology in the country will be rolled out using indigenously developed hardware and software. The technology will also be exported to other countries, he added.

5G spectrum auction scheduled next year

Speaking about 5G, Vasishnaw said that the 5G spectrum auctions are likely to take place in the first half of 2022 and homegrown 5G technology is also being developed.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reportedly started the consultation process for 5G and this is expected to be completed by February or March 2022. TRAI has granted an extension to the telcos for 5G trials and the deadline has been shifted to March 31, 2022.

During the webinar, Vaishnaw also spoke about the telecom reforms that were announced by the government in September. The major part of the reforms includes the four-year moratorium for adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues.

Airtel and Vodafone Idea both opted for the four-year AGR dues moratorium. The moratorium is expected to free up the cash-flow for Airtel and Vodafone Idea by ₹40,000 and ₹60,000 crore respectively, allowing the telcos to invest in 5G.

Airtel and Vodafone Idea have also tariff hikes that will help them shore up revenue and improve the average revenue per user (ARPU).

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