Perspective- The 5G Era | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

The inauguration of 5G services in India by the Prime Minister marks the initiation of the next generation network in the country. The phased rollout of 5G services will commence in 13 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune. The introduction of 5G is poised to bring numerous benefits, such as seamless coverage, high data rates, low latency, and reliable communication. Additionally, it holds the potential for real-time disaster monitoring, precision agriculture, reduced human involvement in hazardous industrial operations, and efficient delivery of critical services.

5G Benefits

A More Connected World:

• 5G will cater to user needs with enhanced capacity and bandwidth, accommodating technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT).
• It facilitates the integration of Artificial Intelligence into daily life, supporting Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality services.
• The technology will revolutionize mobile experiences, enabling rapid downloads of data-heavy content like 8K movies and games with superior graphics.

Beyond Personal Devices:

• The government panel on 5G anticipates its application across diverse sectors, including industrial, commercial, educational, healthcare, agricultural, financial, and social domains.
• Despite the introduction of 5G, earlier generation mobile technologies (2G, 3G, and 4G) are expected to remain in use for at least 10 more years.

Various Field Applications of 5G Network:

Sensor-Embedded Networks:

• 5G will facilitate the implementation of sensor-embedded networks, enabling real-time information relay in manufacturing, consumer durables, and agriculture.

Efficient Transport Infrastructure:

• The low latency of 5G is crucial for mission-critical applications, and it will enhance transport infrastructure efficiency through smart communication between vehicles and infrastructure, paving the way for innovations like driverless cars.

IoT and Healthcare:

• With its flexibility, unused spectrum availability, and cost-effective deployment solutions, 5G is well-suited for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
• The healthcare industry will benefit from 5G, powering smart medical devices, the Internet of Medical Things, advanced analytics, and high-definition medical imaging technologies.

Way Forward for India

Aligning with Digital India:

• It is imperative to align Digital India initiatives with 5G technology for comprehensive technological advancement.

Cyber Infrastructure Strengthening:

• Efforts should be directed towards strengthening cyber infrastructure to ensure the security and resilience of 5G networks.

Incentivizing Design and Manufacture:

• Incentives should be provided to encourage the design and manufacture of 5G technologies, products, and solutions within India.

Funding and Capacity Building:

• Allocating funds and incentivizing local technology and telecom firms will contribute to building internal capacities crucial for the success of 5G technology.

Supporting 5G Start-ups:

• Promoting 5G start-ups that contribute to design and manufacturing capabilities will foster innovation in the 5G landscape.

IPR Generation:

• Encouraging the generation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) supporting 5G designs will position India as a leader in the field.

Infrastructure Development:

• Massive investments in the manufacture of 5G chipsets are essential, along with the establishment of appropriate test-beds and technology platforms to give the Indian technical ecosystem a competitive edge.

Ubiquitous Broadband Infrastructure:

• Accelerated deployment of next-generation ubiquitous ultra-high broadband infrastructure with 100% coverage of 10 Gbps across urban India and 1 Gbps across rural India is a crucial step.

Optimized Mobile Networks:

• To ensure seamless mobile networks, coverage, reliability, and scalability must be optimized, necessitating a unified management policy to maintain consistent standards.