Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has announced that the government is providing financial support for a research project concerned with 5G technology. It’s pledged Rs 36.51 crore towards the program, which will be utilized over a period of 3 years.
Prasad says the Department of Electronics and IT is funding the collaborative project. The research on 5G connectivity will be embarked upon by premier academic institutions in India. The list of entities involved in the study includes the Centre of Excellence in wireless technology, IIT-Bombay, IISc-Bangalore, IIT-Madras, and IIT-Hyderabad.
As per PTI, the project was approved back in September this year. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Prasad asserts the team which has been assembled by the government will conduct advanced studies and come up with solutions for various aspects of the 5G network. The group is set to further develop complex simulators and technology prototypes.
The IPR which gets formulated under this initiative will additionally contribute towards 5G standardization. When questioned as to what has been done by the administration regarding the improvement of the existing 3G and 4G networks in the country, Prasad claims the DoT has held multiple meetings with senior officers of telecom operators to stress on providing better telecom services.
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The Telecom Minister went on to state that private companies have installed roughly 14751 more mobile towers within the past 6 months in order to supply 3G connectivity. Of these, BSNL has set up approximately 1886. As for 4G, Prasad says the government has done its part by allotting additional spectrum through open auction. Many telecom operators are in the process of launching its LTE services through these bands.