Telecom equipment and software major Ericsson and premier education institute IIT Delhi have launched 5G for India program.
Ericsson said the proposed Center of Excellence and Incubation Center with 5G test bed at IIT Delhi will drive the development of LTE Advanced and 5G ecosystems.
Nokia, the main rival of Ericsson, recently announced 5G development deals in India with telecom operators Bharti Airtel and BSNL. At present, Ericsson is yet to announce any 5G trials in India. Ericsson was also slow in announcing 4G network deals with Indian telecom operators in the initial phase of 4G development in India.
IIT Delhi will conduct research and development to explore how mobile technologies can address India’s challenges.
The first series of tests under this program are due to begin in the second half of 2017 and will place India on par with other developed countries in terms of 5G network and application deployment. Limited deployment and 5G trials are expected to start by mid-2018 while commercial availability is slated for 2020.
“The 5G for India program is a major step towards understanding the power of 5G technology and how it can help aid Digital India initiatives, including the development of smart cities. The program will focus on delivering research, innovation and industrial pilots,” said Paolo Colella, head of Region India at Ericsson.
Globally, Ericsson 5G radio test beds have demonstrated record-breaking throughput as well as tight interworking between network layers, frequency bands, and technology standards. This will ensure seamless connectivity for connected devices, machines, and things, supporting consumer, business, and industrial applications.