5G trials to begin within 100 days, promises telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has announced that 5G trials in India will commence within 100 days. Spectrum auctions will be held later this year. According to a report in Mint, last year, TRAI had recommended that spectrum be auctioned off in the 3,300-3,600 MHz band in 20 MHz chunks at a cost of Rs 492 cr per MHz. This is the spectrum that will use 5G services. Another report in The Economic Times adds that the new Minister intends to revive BSNL and MTNL as he felt that these services were necessary to provide ‘sober equilibrium’. He also announced that over 5 lakh Wi-Fi hotspots will be rolled out and that there will be a push towards telecom manufacturing. **Beleaguered Huawei will not be participating in the 5G trials** since the US ban on the company directly impacts Huawei’s ability to provide and maintain 5G infrastructure. [caption id=“attachment_6749271” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] 5G trials are expected to begin within 100 days in India[/caption]