India: 5G service will be launched in August or September, with the first coverage in 13 major cities

IT House reported on June 16 that although Indian authorities hope to launch 5G services in India this year, some telecom operators are fighting over private networks. They argue that any attempt to reserve spectrum for exclusive private networks at manipulated prices will distort the playing field.

Now, the cabinet has finally approved India’s 5G spectrum auction, scheduled for the end of July. According to foreign media reports, the spectrum value over 72GHz is worth 5 billion rupees, and the auction period is 20 years. India’s United Telecom and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that 5G commercial services will be launched soon after the successful spectrum auction, which is expected to be launched in August or September this year.

Additionally, Vaishnaw said that although the auction was in July, the auction process had already begun. Airtel, Jio and Vi are trialling their 5G network across the country and will roll it out.

IT Home has learned that the Indian government will auction the 72097.85MHz spectrum valid for 20 years before the end of July. These include 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26 GHz.

In the first phase, the first 5G services in India will be launched in 13 major cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Jamnagar, Mumbai, AI Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.