TCS also said it aims to use mmWave spectrum for its own internal operations
Indian company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), part of holding company Tata Group, has applied to participate in the demand study for 5G private networks being conducted by India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT), according to local newspaper The Hindu Business Line.
The study aims to assess the demand for direct assignment of spectrum to set up private networks. After assessing the demand, the Indian government will decide whether or not spectrum for such private networks should be assigned, and at what price. At present, enterprises can lease spectrum from telcos to establish a private network.
In an interview with the local newspaper, TCS’s COO N Ganapathy Subramaniam, said: “We have submitted the application and also stated that we will be interested in acquiring mmWave spectrum for our own internal use.” The executive added that TCS aims to use mmWave spectrum for its own internal operations.
TCS previously stated that it aims to help companies and organizations across different verticals to set up their 5G private networks.
“As a technology company and a system integrator, we will work with our clients across the verticals and help them to set up their private 5G networks in their campuses or factories,” Ganapathy Subramaniam had previously said.
Under local regulations, TCS can set up 5G private network for enterprises but cannot become a licensee or own spectrum. A company that intends to deploy a private network can lease out frequencies from a telecom operator or directly purchase the frequencies from the government.
Earlier this month, Indian company Adani Data Network has obtained a license for network access services, which will allow the firm to provide all kinds of telecom services in the country, according to local press reports.
Adani Data Network, owned by local conglomerate Adani Group, entered the Indian telecom space after purchasing frequencies in a recent spectrum auction carried out by the government.
Adani Data Networks had secured 400 megahertz of spectrum in the 26 GHz band. The company obtained 100 megahertz each in Gujarat and Mumbai and 50 megahertz each in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
However, the company said it will not provide 5G services for the consumer market but will use these frequencies to deploy 5G private networks to support the conglomerate’s connectivity needs.
The recent 5G spectrum auction in India concluded on August 1. Indian carriers purchased a total $19 billion worth of spectrum in the process. Reliance Jio walked away with the most spectrum, having spent $11 billion. Airtel won spectrum worth $5.4 billion, while Vodafone received spectrum worth $2.4 billion. Finally, Adani purchased spectrum worth approximately $27 million.
The first telco to launch 5G in India was Bharti Airtel, which has activated its 5G services in eight cities with plans to progressively cover the entire country by March 2024. Some of the cities where Airtel already offers 5G include Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and Bangalore.
Last week, Reliance Jio Infocomm announced the launch of the beta trial of its 5G services in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi.
