Beginning with select cities, 5G services will progressively cover the entire country over the next few years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 5G services in India at the sixth India Mobile Congress (IMC-2022) in New Delhi on Saturday.

The 5G service to be launched by the Prime Minister in select cities will progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years, the the Ministry of Communications said on Friday.

The introduction of 5G services comes after years of careful planning.

Recently, 5G spectrum auctions were successfully held, and Telecom Service Providers received 51,236 MHz with a gross income of Rs. 1,50,173 Crores. The auction brought together the desire for a strong 5G ecosystem that can support its IoT, M2M, AI, Edge Computing, Robotics, etc. application cases.

"5G can unleash new economic opportunities and societal benefits giving it the potential for being a transformational force for Indian society," the ministry pointed out.

It will help the country leapfrog the traditional barriers to development, spur innovations by startups and business enterprises as well as advance the ‘Digital India’ vision. The cumulative economic impact of 5G on India is expected to reach $450 Billion by 2035, the ministry added.

The press release also said that the major goal of the IMC-2022, the premier digital event in Asia, is to promote new technologies, particularly indigenous ones, and provide citizens with exposure to the uses and applications of 5G.

The theme of the event, which will be held from October 1-4, is "Encapsulate, Engage, and Experience a New Digital Universe." Over 5,000 CXOs and delegates, 250+ exhibitors, 100+ startups, 300+ speakers, and over 70,000 participants and visitors are anticipated to attend this mega event.