The G20 summit currently underway has given a much-needed boost to 5G services in Gujarat, particularly in cities such as Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Surat, as well as in lesser-known areas like the Rann of Kutch and the vicinity of the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. According to a Department of Telecommunications (DoT) report, new measures have been introduced to enhance 5G services, such as the Cell on Wheel (CoW)-BTS, which involves mounting a small cell tower on a truck to enhance signal strength.
According to a TOI report, several telecom service providers (TSPs) collaborated with the DoT Gujarat team to deploy the Cell on Wheel (CoW)-BTS, and new 5G sites were established in areas such as GIFT City in Gandhinagar for the first time. While none of the TSPs had previously launched their 5G services in Diu, the DoT has reported that preparations are underway to install the necessary infrastructure well in advance of the G20 summit scheduled to take place there in May.
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The DoT report shared with the publication outlines additional measures to enhance 5G services, including the installation of indoor or micro-BTS and additional equipment to improve mobile coverage within the respective airports of major cities in the state. These interventions aim to improve signal quality and provide better indoor coverage for mobile users.
"At Bhuj and Surat airports, poor coverage was observed at certain areas inside the terminals. The airport authorities allowed telecom service providers (TSP) to install their indoor or micro-BTS devices there," says DoT, Gujarat License Service Area (LSA), senior deputy director general, Gunjan Dave, in the report.
The team from the Department of Telecom (DoT) conducted an 840 km mobile network drive and static data testing for 5G services in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and areas near the airports in Surat and Ahmedabad. The 5G coverage was extended to remote locations such as the UNESCO world heritage site at Rann ki Vav in Patan, the Sun Temple in Modhera, Bhuj Airport, and isolated areas like Dhordo and Dholavira in Rann of Kutch.
"In Diu, five new mobile sites for 5G services were earmarked, especially near Malala Auditorium, Jalandhar Guest House, Diu Fort and Khufri. The mobile-BTS at these sites will be active before May," adds Dave in the report.
