The government of India has not given any deadline for direct spectrum allocation for 5G private networks
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has initiated a process to identify 5G spectrum bands to be allocated to companies for the deployment of private networks, local newspaper The Economic Times reported.
Once the DoT identifies the most suitable frequencies for private networks, it will ask the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to give pricing for the allocation of those bands, according to the report.
Although telecom regulator Trai had already identified some spectrum bands that can be reserved for private networks, the DoT wants to explore more bands that would have a lower commercial potential, according to the report.
In its recommendations for the 5G auction, the Trai had suggested that at least 40 megahertz could be reserved in the 3700-3800MHz and 4800-4990 MHz bands for e private networks. The regulator also considered the possibility that at least 400 MHz could be earmarked in the 28.5-29.5 GHz band for private networks and satellite earth stations.
According to the initial guidelines on private networks released by DoT, companies seeking to deploy their own private networks can lease spectrum from telecom operators or get it directly from DoT. Enterprises can also ask telecom operators to roll out their private networks.
The Indian government has not given any deadline for direct spectrum allocation for 5G private networks. According to industry sources, the overall process could take one to two years.
Over 20 Indian companies have applied to secure 5G spectrum to set private networks in the country, according to recent press reports. Some of the interested firms include Infosys, Capgemini, GMR, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Communications, Tata Power and Tejas Networks.
The companies’ applications were submitted in response to a request from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) meant to help figure out the level of market demand for 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.
However, the DoT had said that the current exercise was to study demand—so an application at this stage would not mean spectrum would be assigned to the interested company.
The potential direct allocation of spectrum to enterprises for the deployment of private networks has been generating tensions between technology firms and telecom operators.
Indian company Tata Communications recently said it is currently in talks with at least 40 large businesses from different verticals about providing them with private 5G networks.
Vishy Ramaswamy, Tata Communications’s VP for 5G and digital solutions incubation, reportedly said that the firm is currently carrying out some trials with these companies, and in certain cases, Tata Communications is already having commercials talks regarding future private 5G network deployments.
