Ushering in a new technological era, fifth-generation (5G) services in India were launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi at the inaugural ceremony of the sixth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC 2022) on October 1, 2022. The event was jointly organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). Bharti Airtel's 5G services went live at launch, followed by Reliance Jio's 5G rollout in limited regions. Both private telecom operators have gradually expanded their 5G networks, offering complimentary services to users across India. Fast forward to March 2025—more than two years later—another private operator, Vodafone Idea (Vi), along with the state-run BSNL, is also preparing to launch 5G services in the country.
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5G Services: Vi and BSNL Join the Race
Vi's 5G services are expected to go live around Holi in the Mumbai circle, while BSNL's 4G/5G services are set to launch in June 2025, according to recent updates. This means that by the end of 2025, all four telecom operators in India will likely be offering 5G services to millions of users across the country.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the capabilities of 5G, how it can make a difference, and how it is set to transform lives in India—an impact highlighted by the Prime Minister, Telecom Ministers, and industry leaders at the time of its launch. Let's go back to the days of the 5G launch and explore what lies ahead for users with new services in the days to come.
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Key Benefits of 5G Technology
"5G technology will offer a wide range of benefits to the common people. It will help in providing seamless coverage, high data rate, low latency, and highly reliable communications. Also, It will increase energy efficiency, spectrum efficiency and network efficiency. 5G technology will help in connecting billions of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, will allow higher quality video services with mobility at high speed, and delivery of critical services such as telesurgery and autonomous cars among others."
"5G will help in real-time monitoring of disasters, precision agriculture, and minimising the role of humans in dangerous industrial operations such as in deep mines, offshore activities etc. Unlike existing mobile communication networks, 5G networks will allow tailoring of requirements for each of these different use cases within the same network," according to the Prime Minister's Office statement on October 1, 2022.
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5G Launch Announcement by PM
Launching 5G services in the country, the Prime Minister said, "Today, 130 crore Indians are getting a wonderful gift in the form of 5G from the country and from the telecom industry of the country. 5G is a knock on the doors of a new era in the country. 5G is the beginning of an infinite sky of opportunities." He also unveiled various 5G use cases of various Telecom Service Providers in Education, Health, worker safety, smart agriculture etc.
"Today, every person using the Internet understands that 5G will change the entire framework of the Internet. That is why today 5G has brought a huge opportunity for the youth of India," the Prime Minister added.
Industry Statements
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance, narrated the possibilities of 5G in key areas like education, health, climate etc. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, remarked that the launch of 5G is the beginning of a new era. Meanwhile, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, called the advent of 5G a transformational event, adding that the launch of 5G marks the beginning of an exciting journey for India. "We will see limitless potential for 5G development and use cases in the years to come," he added.
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Creating Jobs
"This [5G Launch] milestone unlocks huge possibilities for India with high-tech technology and paves the way to bring transformation in crucial areas including agriculture, health, education, Transport, logistics, smart cities, Industry 4.0 and financial inclusion etc. 5G technology will bolster and propel India's position as an economic and tech powerhouse globally and will provide new opportunities for start-ups to come up with innovative solutions to solve existing challenges, create jobs and contribute to India's economic resilience," the Ministry of Communications said in a statement on October 1, 2022.
Digital India
Speaking about Digital India, the Prime Minister said that some people think it is just a government scheme. "But Digital India is not just a name, it is a big vision for the development of the country. The goal of this vision is to bring that technology to the common people, which works for the people, works by connecting with the people."
The Prime Minister elaborated, "We focused on four Pillars, in four directions at once. First, the price of the device, Second, digital connectivity, Third, the cost of data, Fourth, and most importantly, the idea of 'digital first'.
According to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Communications, the four pillars of Digital India include:
1. Cost of Devices
With Aatma Nirbhar Bharat, the cost of devices can be reduced significantly. In 2014, there were only two mobile manufacturing units in the country, whereas today, there are 200. India is now the second-largest mobile manufacturer in the world and a major exporter of mobile devices. "Naturally, all these efforts have had an impact on the cost of the device. Now we have started getting more features at a lower cost," the Prime Minister said.
2. Digital Connectivity
The Prime Minister highlighted that broadband internet users have increased to 80 crore from just 6 crore in 2014. In 2014, fewer than 100 panchayats had optical fiber connections, whereas today, 1.7 lakh panchayats are connected. "Internet users in the rural areas of the country are growing at a faster rate than the urban area," the Communications Ministry said.
3. Cost of Data
"With the expansion of digital connectivity, the cost of data becomes equally important. This was the third pillar of Digital India on which we worked with full force. We have removed all the hurdles coming in the way of the telecom sector. Earlier, the telecom sector had to face many difficulties due to lack of vision and lack of transparency. You are familiar with the way by which we have given policy support for the expansion of 4G technology. This led to a drastic reduction in the cost of data and the birth of a data revolution in the country." These three pillars started showing their multiplier effect everywhere, the PM said.
"The cost of data has reduced from Rs 300 per GB in 2014 to Rs 10 per GB in 2022. The average data used per person is 14GB per month, and reduction in cost of data has brought considerable savings per month for citizens," the Ministry of Communications said in a separate statement.
4. Idea of Digital First
On the topic of the fourth pillar, i.e., the Idea of 'Digital First', the Prime Minister recalled a time when a handful of the elite class questioned if the poor would even understand the meaning of digital and doubted their potential, the Prime Minister said that he always had faith in the understanding, wisdom and inquisitive mind of the common man of the country. He noted that he always found the poor of the country ready to adopt new technologies.
"Many people carried the opinion that the rural poor of this country will not be able to adopt the digital technology, but the citizens, particularly the rural people, have made these assumptions wrong. Rural India is fast adopting the digital technologies and internet in their daily lives," the Ministry of Communications added.
Remarking that Digital India has given a platform, the Prime Minister said, "It was due to the power of Digital India that even when the world had come to a halt, our children were taking online classes and studying. Hospitals were faced with an extraordinary challenge, but doctors were treating their patients through tele-medicine. Offices were closed, but 'work from home' was going on. Today we have small traders, small entrepreneurs, local artists, and artisans and Digital India has given a platform to everyone."
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Cheap Data
Remarking on the consumer-centric efforts of the government, the Prime Minister said, "The revolution that the country is witnessing in the telecom sector today is proof that if the government works with the right intention, then it does not take long to change the intentions of the citizens. This is the difference between the intention of 2G and the intention of 5G. Better late than never.
"India today is one of those countries in the world where data is so cheap and affordable. Earlier, where the cost of 1GB data was close to Rs 300, today the cost of 1GB data has come down to only Rs 10. Today in India, a person is using an average of 14GB data on mobile in a month. In 2014, the cost of this 14GB data was around Rs 4200 per month. Today, the same amount of data is available for Rs 100 or Rs 150. That is, today about Rs 4000 of the poor and the middle class is being saved every month on mobile data.
With so many efforts of our government, the cost of data in India remains very low. Saving 4000 rupees every month is not a small thing, but you realised it after I told you because we never blew our own trumpet. We did not advertise. We only focused upon the convenience of the people of the country to enhance their ease of living."
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5G Has the Capability to Change Lives
The Prime Minister informed that the use of 5G technology will not be limited to speedy internet access, but it has the capability to change lives. He said that we will see the promises of the technology realised in our lifetimes.
5G Use Cases
As we explored what 5G technology can bring to India, let us now examine the key use cases highlighted during the launch of 5G services in the country.
1. Supporting Education via 5G
The Prime Minister shared that he realised how new technology was changing the meaning of education for children from rural schools and villages. "Similarly, through 5G, children even from the remotest schools in villages of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Odisha are learning new things in the classroom with top experts. It is indeed a thrilling experience to be a part of a new age classroom with them," the Prime Minister shared.
"In education, 5G is important for connecting schools in rural areas, providing remote education and digitalisation of curriculum," the Communications Ministry said.
Use Case Showcased by Airtel
According to PM's office, "In the Airtel demo, students from Dankaur, Uttar Pradesh witnessed a lively and immersive education experience to learn about the solar system with the help of Virtual reality and Augmented reality. A student Khushi, shared her experience of learning with the PM by appearing on the dias through a hologram. "
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adiyanath connected from Rudraksh Convention Centre, Varanasi. The Prime Minister inquired if the VR education experience helped them understand the concepts in a comprehensive way. The student said that after this experience she is much more inclined toward learning new things.
User Case Showcased by Reliance Jio
According to PM's office, "Reliance Jio connected a teacher from a school in Mumbai, with students in three different locations in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Odisha. This demonstrated how 5G will facilitate education by bringing teachers closer to students, obliviating the physical distance between them. It also demonstrated the power of Augmented Reality (AR) on screen and how that is being used to teach children across the country, remotely, without the need for an AR device."
The Prime Minister interacted with students from Dnyanjyoti Savitribai Phule School, Raigad, Maharashtra. Students from Ropda Primary School, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The Prime Minister also interacted with students from SLS Memorial School, Myurbhanj, Odisha. Abhimanyu Basu, Dean of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, BKC, Mumbai also demonstrated the use of 5G technology. The Prime Minister noted the enthusiasm of the students for technology in education.
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2. Creating Opportunities for Entrepreneurs via 5G
With the help of 5G technology, youth can innovate while the technology creates opportunities for everyone.
"This is an opportunity for our youth, who with the help of 5G technology can make innovations that grab the attention of the world. This is an opportunity for our entrepreneurs who can expand and grow themselves using 5G technology. This is the opportunity for the common man of India who can use this technology to improve his skills, up-skill, re-skill and convert his ideas into reality," the Prime Minister said.
3. Employment Opportunities
During the launch, the Prime Minister posed thought-provoking questions: "Why don't we use this 5G technology to accelerate India's development at an unprecedented pace? Why don't we use this 5G technology to expand our economy very fast? Why don't we increase our productivity by using this 5G technology?"
These questions, he emphasised, represent an opportunity, a challenge, a dream, and a resolution for every Indian.
He assured the nation saying, "There are several major opportunities waiting for our telecom industry. Several new employment opportunities are going to be created."
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4. Download Videos Fast
Citing an example of how the utility of electricity began, the Prime Minister said, "Similarly, with 5G people would start thinking of multiple uses in their lives as the videos could be downloaded pretty fast. It wouldn't buffer for long if a person wants to watch reels. The phone doesn't get disconnected from the internet. There can be video conferences with clear video and audio. You can make phone calls. Moreover, this is going to be a life changing system. Therefore I would ask the association of this industry to go to schools, colleges, universities and every district of India and find out the number of aspects that exist where 5G could be applied and we need to add value to the same. So this will be a service for you and this technology should not be limited to just talking or watching any video in life."
5. Enhancing Citizen-Centric Services via 5G
The Prime Minister visited various pavilions of TSPs, industries, and startups showcasing innovative use cases around 5G technology. These include Connected Ambulance (Emergency healthcare), Community Clinic (Mass healthcare/treatment), Remote Ultrasound Robot Demo (remote healthcare) and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for Rural Broadband Connectivity.
6. 5G in Manufacturing and Industries
The 5G-powered Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), an autonomous robot useful for factories, can play a crucial role in smart manufacturing. This was demonstrated at the launch, showcasing how it can increase productivity and efficiency.
Use Case showcased by Vodafone Idea
According to PM's office, "the Vodafone Idea test case demonstrated the safety of workers in an under-construction tunnel of Delhi Metro through the creation of a Digital Twin of the tunnel on the dias. Digital Twin will help give safety alerts to workers in real time from a remote location. PM took a live demo from the dias to monitor the work in real-time through utilising VR and Artificial Intelligence."
The Prime Minister interacted with Rinku Kumar, a worker in Delhi Metro Tunnel Dwarka, New Delhi in presence of Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Saxena. The Prime Minister inquired about the user experience and learning curve needed to adopt the technology. He said that workers' confidence in safety is the biggest contribution of new tech.
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7. Advancing Healthcare with 5G
According to the Ministry of Communications, 5G technology can improve quality and access to healthcare facilities by ensuring medical aid in remote areas, tele-health, specialised healthcare at primary care centres and connecting them to speciality hospitals.
A 5G-enabled smart ambulance, connected directly to hospitals, significantly enhances emergency medical services. "Over 52 diagnostic tests can be done in this smart ambulance. The test results can be sent in real-time over the 5G network to the doctor at the hospital end for continuous support. This can also be used as a connected clinic for health services in rural and hilly areas," the Ministry of Communications said.
"An innovative use-case of extending remote medical assistance to the citizens was demonstrated to the Prime Minister by making video calls to Primary Health Centres in Bhora Kalan village of Haryana and Matiana village of Himachal Pradesh using the wholly indigenous 5G NSA system and e-health solutions of start-ups," the Ministry of Communications reported on October 1, 2022.
8. Smart Agriculture
Not just manufacturing and healthcare, but 5G also plays a role in agriculture. "A sewage monitoring system with centralised dashboard about sewage water level, flow, quality, presence of poisonous gases at a central place. A Smart-Agri Programme which uses IoT, HD Cameras and drones was also shown to the Prime Minister at the 5G launch, according to the Ministry of Communications.
9. Miscellaneous Uses
Beyond the above use cases, the Ministry of Communications also highlighted that 5G can "empower the agriculture sector and farmers with precision farming, livestock farming, aquaculture, crop pest control and agricultural land mapping with the use of real time data transfer, monitoring, automation and drone-based utilities."
1 Crore Digital Jobs by 2026
At the Digital India Conference, held alongside the launch of 5G, then Minister for Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, stated in his address that the "focus is on creating employment, achieving the target of 1 Trillion Dollar Digital Economy and 1 Crore Digital Jobs by 2026."
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Conclusion
With its vast potential, 5G from all four operators (three private —Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Jio— and one state-owned —BSNL/MTNL) is set to transform India's digital landscape, boost economic growth, and improve lives across the country.
