According to mobile operators, the telecom department, and TRAI, the initial rollout of 5G services would begin in top metro areas including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata in October 2022. The launch would be dispersed and stretched out for months after the initial debut as part of phase 1 run, which would last through the first half of 2023.

Estimates based on field tests, network upgrades, and other technical factors suggest that Gurugram, Pune, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, and Gandhi Nagar will be the additional cities to announce the launch of 5G services in Phase 1.

As businesses charge for premium services to recoup their costs for spectrum and network upgrades, consumers may have to pay higher rates. Network deployment work is moving quickly, especially since telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has made it clear that the government is looking at an October launch, according to Jefferies Companies. “We believe tariff hikes are likely by the end of 2022, as telcos would focus on monetization to offset the hefty spectrum commitments,” the company said.

In the case of 5G, fieldwork and network deployment had already started, and businesses had gained valuable expertise from the trials that were run for a long time in the pre-auction stage “One of the mobile companies’ senior officials remarked. Another official claimed that in comparison to the upgrades required when the network switched from 3G to 4G, the initial deployment of 5G will not provide a technological challenge. “4G was transitioning to an IP-based system from a digital network.

The 5G system is still IP-based, but there will be server and software updates, and radio antennae must be deployed. Additionally, wherever there is a demand, small cell sites for 5G must be deployed.” Whether all cities will be covered at launch is a question. Authorities stated, “Perhaps this isn’t the case. 5G will first be available in wide areas, and as these areas grow, they will eventually encompass the entire cities.