Mobile customers will get speeds of 600 megabits per second during the 5G launch phase. A handset, i.e. a mobile phone, is expected to function similarly to professional computers in terms of accessing apps and processing data. This is what industry experts have to say. ALSO READ: Does my smartphone support 5G?
Telecom service providers
- Reliance Jio is launching 5G services for select customers in four cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi
- All Bharti Airtel customers with 5G handsets will get the service in eight cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Nagpur and Siliguri.
ALSO READ: Will your current smartphone support 5G service? Explainer
Do we need to change the SIM?
Customers of both companies will not have to change their existing SIM to upgrade to 5G services. Reliance Jio has said that its customers will continue to use 5G services under ‘beta testing’ until the ‘network coverage’ of a city is complete. ALSO READ: Airtel 5G launches in 8 cities
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5G Internet speed
The companies have further claimed to offer unlimited 5G internet at the speed of one gigabit per second (1 Gbps). However, industry experts believe that this level of speed can be achieved very close to mobile stations.
Thiawasheng Ng, President, Strategic Network Development (Southeast Asia, Oceania and India), Ericsson, Network Solutions, said, “The 5G rollout phase is expected to deliver speeds of up to 600 Mbps (megabits per second).
This is due to less ‘call’ and ‘data’ usage in the network. However, fully implemented, it will achieve speeds of 200-300 Mbps.” That means at speeds of 600 Mbps, a two-hour ‘high-definition’ movie with around six GB of files can be downloaded in one minute and 25 seconds.
Video/movie downloading time
At the same time, it takes about three minutes to download a 4K movie (Ultra High Definition). Customers who purchase a 5G handset or own a 5G-enabled handset will see a 5G option in their network settings and must select it to receive the service.
Once 5G is available in the customer’s area, the mobile network display on their handset will start showing 5G instead of 4G. Anupam Srivastava, former chairman and managing director of state-owned BSNL, said telecom companies will be able to offer free service until the 5G service is launched.
What will be the tariffs for 5G plans?
Through this, the benefits of new services can be communicated to the customers. “Once the 5G service is rolled out in a circle, the telco will be able to announce its tariffs and charge more for 5G,” said Srivastava, Nokia’s senior vice president and India market. The average ‘data’ usage of a customer in India will double in a year and a half. He said charges for 5G services vary from country to country.
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Malik said, “There are some countries that don’t charge separately for 5G. Some charge more. The model for India will be based on the business here.” With the introduction of 5G in the country, the smartphone can function like a professional computer while keeping costs down. It’s like you’re working at a ‘workstation’ i.e. office.
Qualcomm Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cristiano Amon said, “Looking at the 5G growth opportunities in India, I see many and very significant opportunities. First, every device in India will have 5G technology at different price points.” Amon said, “… if you have a 5G phone or computer and want to run an application that requires a lot of computing power, 5G will deliver.
Inputs from PTI
