As per Ookla report, the recommendation by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to assign 5G spectrum to private enterprises is not intended to threaten the Indian telecom operators. Meanwhile, TRAI is aiming to enable the framework for enterprises to build their own private networks as India gears up for the 5G spectrum auction.
According to latest insights by US-based broadband speed tester Ookla, the TRAI recommendations are in line with other 5G markets like France, the US, Germany, Japan, and the UK, and Indian telcos should not see this proposal as a threat. While on the consumer side, the rollout of 5G services will boost Indian mobile performance to a potential ten times increase in median download speeds (5G vs 4G LTE), it will also deliver socio-economic benefits in India, on account of a number of 5G use cases that could enable new applications across all sectors.
In addition, the 5G and 5G Standalone (SA) will offer the benefits related to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive internet of things (IoT) and critical IoT to Indian enterprises, allowing better control over their networks with an attractive benefit of the increased security offered by isolating their data from public networks. Among various sectors that stands to benefit from 5G are the manufacturing sector, representing 20 per cent of the total benefit along with retail, ICT and agriculture.
Recently, leading industry bodies have hailed the TRAI recommendations of around 35-40 per cent cut in the reserve price for 5G spectrum for mobile services, terming it historic and which can finally put India on the world 5G map. The telecom regulator has put forward a mega auction plan valued at over Rs 7.5 trillion at the base price allocated over 30 years.
The entire gamut of available spectrum in 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300-3670 MHz and 24.25-28.5 GHz spectrum bands has been recommended by the TRAI to be put to auction. Also, in future auctions, access spectrum will be assigned for a period of 30 years as against 20 years now.
