The Department of Telecommunications deduce that all the three private telcos are probable to wait for the allocation of mid-band spectrum to roll out commercial 5G services.As the telcos may not have the capacity to fund the purchase of new spectrum, The Department of Telecommunications is not in approval of conducting auctions for 5G airwaves in this financial year.

Furthermore, only after the DoT has reviewed in detail the reports from the 5G trials, which is to be conducted over the next 6 months then decide on a scheme for which waves and bands to put up for auction in the next spectrum will start .

5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks. 5G mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum — all of which have their own uses as well as limitations. 

At the beginning of this week, the DoT permitted private telcos Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio Infocomm and Vi (formerly Vodafone Idea) and well as state-run telco Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) to start trials for 5G technology as well as its applications in various sectors. These trials to last for 6 months. The DoT declared that the trials this time, the telecom service providers (TSPs) will have to conduct tests in the rural and semi-urban settings in addition to their usual urban settings so that test cases can be developed and tested for all users. 

5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks. 5G mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum — all of which have their own uses as well as limitations. 

Telcos and companies, which have taken the lead on 5G trials and roll out of commercial services, have recommended that this band may be the most widely used for general customers, as well as industries and exclusive factory units for building captive networks that can be shaped into the needs of that particular industry.