After 5G Rollout, India Constitutes Panel for Local 6G Tech Development
In what seems like a response to a rapid growth in connectivity, India has formed a Technology Innovation Group (TIG) to prepare a manufacturing and services ecosystem to capitalise on Sixth Generation or 6G opportunity in the telecom sector, the government said on Monday.
As such, the country expects to be in a position to launch indigenously developed 6G by the end of 2023 or early 2024, the Minister for Communication Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
The government of India said the indigenous 5G Test bed project funded by Department of Telecom (DoT), Ministry of Communications has reached its final stages and the project is likely to be completed by December 31, 2021.
On its part, the Ministry of Communications stressed that the indigenous 5G testbed will help in setting up foundation for the development of “6G Technology landscape” in the country.
“A 6G Technology Innovation Group is constituted by DoT with the objective to co-create and participate in the development of 6G technology ecosystem through increased participation in a capability description, standards development at international standard-setting bodies. This would be necessary to prepare India’s manufacturing and services ecosystem to capitalise on the 6G opportunity,” the statement said.
It is worth mentioning that 6G TIG, includes members from the Government, Academia, Industry Associations, and TSDSI (Telecom Standards Development Society of India).
During the first meeting last November, TIG members presented the future technology needs in different sectors of the economy to enhance India’s contribution to the global value chain.
The Ministry said that telecom operators, including Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea, have established 5G trials sites in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jamnagar, Ahmadabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune and Gandhi Nagar, and added, “these metros and big cities would be the first places for the launch of 5G services in the country, next year”.
The purpose of the task force is to make recommendations on aspects viz, while mapping of global 6G activities and India’s competencies and potential pre-Standardization activities. Mission 6G program; Research views on IMT for 2030 and beyond; concerning Networks, Devices, Spectrum, multi-disciplinary innovative solutions.
In the meantime, the private players in the telecom industry have said that commencing the development process of local 6G development will help in IP or intellectual property created for the Indian telecom ecosystem.