The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), which has developed and manufactured 5G radio equipment in partnership with domestic players, is looking to take these solutions to global markets following their deployment in India.
In June 2022, C-DoT entered into a strategic collaboration with VVDN Technologies and WiSig Networks to develop indigenous 5G open RAN technology. Once deployment is successfully completed, the consortium is expected to explore international opportunities, potentially positioning India among a select group of countries with strong telecom technology players.
According to the chief executive officer, C-DoT, the consortium may seek orders from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and other service providers after completing detailed proof-of-concept (PoC) trials. C-DoT has already deployed a 4G-5G non-standalone core network for BSNL as part of a consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services.
Through this research-led initiative, C-DoT aims to drive innovation and promote the development of cost-effective, indigenous telecom products and solutions.
The organisation has achieved PoC clearance from BSNL across multiple frequency bands, including 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, comparable to Tejas Networks, for commercial 4G deployment.
In parallel, the Tata Group’s TCS, along with Tejas Networks and C-DoT, has rolled out a commercial next-generation 4G network for BSNL, covering around 0.1 million sites with nearly 0.17 million radio stations. However, approval from BSNL is still pending for the deployment of an additional 23,000 4G sites.
