NEW DELHI: The telecom service providers (TSPs) have not faced any difficulties rolling out 5G services in the country, said telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The minister also said the telcos so far have rolled out 5G services in 50 towns.
“The rollout of 5G network is in its initial phase. However, no feedback/complaints have been received/ reported by TSPs for any difficulties faced by 5G users wherever the 5G network is available,” said the minister in his reply.
Vaishnaw noted that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has specified rollout obligations in the notice inviting application (NIA) for auction of access spectrum in terms of number of towns and number of sites to be covered over the next 5 years.
To facilitate rollout of telecom network (including 5G) and expansion of telecommunication infrastructure, the government has taken various steps including making available sufficient spectrum for mobile services through auction, allowing spectrum sharing and trading, removal of additional spectrum usage charge (SUC) of 0.5 per cent for spectrum sharing, allowing sharing of infrastructure by the telco and others.
On the question of 5G services of state-owned telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the minister said the government has reserved 10 MHz of paired spectrum in 600 MHz band, 40 MHz in 3300 MHz band and 400 MHz in the 26 GHz band in all licence service areas.
The telco has floated the tender in October 2022 for finalising its 4G and 5G network and it shortlisted Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to offer the equipment for 5G NSA testing. The government infused Rs 1.64 lakh crore to BSNL for its revival. The revival includes infusing fresh capital for upgrading BSNL services, allocating spectrum, de-stressing its balance sheet, augmenting its fibre network by merging Bharat Broadband Nigam Limited (BBNL) with BSNL and sovereign guarantees to BSNL/MTNL.