The Indian government recently said it had invited Cisco, Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung to take part in 5G trials
Chinese vendor ZTE is currently working with Indian carriers to provide end-to-end solutions for the future launch of 5G technologies, Indian press reported.
ZTE said that leading Indian operators have already started 5G tests and verifications. The Asian vendor also said it has signed a number of agreements with local telcos to trial 5G technologies.
ZTE also said that it has recently hosted a 5G tour exhibition in Mumbai, India, where it spotlighted the latest progress in standard development, product development, commercial verification and industrial cooperation in the 5G field. The vendor did not provide specific details about agreements with local telcos.
Chinese firm Huawei also seems to be cooperating with local carriers towards the future launch of commercial 5G services in the country. Huawei recently denied reports that the Indian authorities had excluded it from taking part in joint 5G trials.
The Chinese vendor said that it is currently proposing a number of technology solutions to support the Indian government’s requirements for the deployment of a nationwide 5G network. Huawei highlighted that its cooperation with government agencies and local operators continues to proceed as normal.
The government of Australia had recently decided to exclude Huawei and ZTE from providing 5G technology for wireless networks in the country over national security concerns. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump also signed a defense bill that bans the government and its contractors from using Huawei and ZTE’s technologies and services.
Huawei said the Australia’s decision was “politically motivated” and also opposed the U.S. federal ban, saying it is ineffective and unconstitutional.
According to recent reports by Indian press, the government has invited Cisco, Samsung, Ericsson and Nokia to take part in future 5G trials.
India 5G spectrum policy
In August, a high-level 5G panel in India urged the national government to announce a 5G spectrum allocation policy by the end of this year. The panel also recommended earmarking additional spectrum bands for supporting 5G technology in the country.
The 5G Forum, which had been set up by the Indian government, also recommended the temporary assignment of 5G frequencies for carriers willing to carry out trials in the coming months.
The panel also advised the government to promulgate guidelines on regulatory matters for the auction of 5G frequencies by March 2019, to facilitate early 5G deployments in the country.
The 5G panel also said that the Department of Telecommunications may provide financial support to operators related to deployment – backhaul, site acquisition, civil works and related operational costs. It added that additional financial support may be offered to internet service providers, technology companies, and local governments to participate in the future 5G trials.
The report issued by the panel also said that that new bands below 4 GHz should be opened up for the new technology. It recommended the allocation of 405 megahertz of sub-4 GHz spectrum while another 137 megahertz is under consideration requiring further studies. It also suggested millimeter band for the 5G technology.
