‘Internet for all’: As PM Modi launches 5G services, a lowdown| 10 points
5G services launched: Airtel is set to provide services in 8 cities.
“A new India - the country is no longer just a consumer of technology but a contributor in its development too,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday at the landmark launch of 5G services. “At the time of launch of 2G, 3G and 4G services, India was dependent on other countries. But with 5G, the country is setting foot in a new historical era, and is leading globally,” PM Modi asserted, labeling it as “a revolution”. The launch took place as he inaugurated the sixth edition of the India Mobile Congress, stressing that the government aims to provide “internet for all”.
Here are ten points on the 5G launch in India:
1. Reliance, Airtel and Vodafone Idea - the three major telecom operators - demonstrated one use case each in front of the prime minister to show the potential of 5G technology in India.
2. “5G is much more than the next generation of technology. It actually unlocks the potential of other technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Robotics, Blockchain, and Metaverse,” said Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani while addressing the event. PM Modi's leadership, he underlined, "has raised India’s prestige, profile and power globally like never before," he further said.
3. Reliance Industries Ltd.’s 5G network aims to cover the remotest corners of India by December next year, Ambani said.
4. The 5G services would also help India add to its unicorn list, Bharti Mittal of the Bharti Enterprises asserted. “With the advent of 5G, I’m sure that the country will add many more unicorns in the world,” he said. India already has 100 plus unicorns.
5. Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Bangalore are among the eight cities where Airtel said it would launch its services on Saturday.
6. Vodafone Idea has said it plans to begin the journey to roll out 5G services soon, without specifying a date. "We will soon begin 5G rollout journey. We will leverage our strong presence in rural India, our enterprise customers, our tech partners, and global experience of Vodafone Group for progressively rolling out our 5G network and services in the coming period," said Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla.
7. In his remarks, PM Modi also underlined how some people undermined the government’s “Digital India” initiative, as he took a dig at rivals. “But Digital India is not just a name, it is a big vision for the development of the country. The goal of this vision is to bring that technology to the common people, which works for the people, works by connecting with the people,” he said.
8. Price of the device, digital connectivity, cost of data, and the idea of 'digital first' have been the four pillars that have been in focus to help India go digital, PM said.
9. From 6 crore internet users in 2014 to 80 crore users now, the penetration has been deepening, according to the government.
10. 5G will help in real-time monitoring of disasters, precision agriculture, and minimising the role of humans in dangerous industrial operations such as in deep mines, offshore activities, the government has underlined.
(With inputs from PTI, Bloomberg)
