In a bid to accelerate the development of 5G applications in India, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has taken steps to ensure that not only telecom companies but also ministries actively contribute to creating use cases for the technology. According to a report from TheHinduBusinessLine, senior officials at the PMO have reached out to various ministries, including the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, urging them to collaborate with the Department of Telecommunications to develop 5G use cases in specific sectors.
The PMO has set a deadline for ministries to create these use cases and pilots before the India Mobile Congress, which typically takes place in October each year. It has been approximately eight months since the introduction of 5G services in India, and while the country's major telecom operators have rolled out 5G networks to some extent, actual use cases for 5G beyond faster data speeds are limited.
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When 5G services were launched, users had high expectations of unlocking a new era of connectivity. They anticipated a wide range of applications, from automated factory operations to augmented and virtual reality experiences to advanced gaming. However, now that the initial excitement has subsided, both telecom companies and ministries are struggling to identify practical and viable use cases for 5G services.
The PMO's letter comes after the Department of Telecommunications' efforts to collaborate with other ministries and explore how 5G can enhance key government functions. Since February 2022, the Department has been working with fourteen ministries to develop workable use cases. However, there has been little tangible progress in terms of implementing pilot projects thus far.
Without unique 5G applications that go beyond what existing 4G services can offer, telecom companies are also finding it challenging to recover their investments in 5G networks. During the FICCI Frames event, Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal highlighted the need for content creators and OTT players to innovate and fully harness the power of 5G. He emphasised that simply having faster data speeds will not significantly enhance existing applications, which can already be adequately supported by 4G networks.
