Will PM Modi launch 5G services in India on Oct 1?

NEW DELHI: The National Broadband Mission (NBM) under the Ministry of Communications on Saturday tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will roll out 5G services in India on October 1, as the India Mobile Congress (IMC) kicks off on the same day.

However, the tweet disappeared within no time from the NBM handle on the micro-blogging platform.

"Taking India's digital transformation & connectivity to new heights, Hon'ble PM, @narendramodi, will roll out 5G services in India; at India Mobile Congress; Asia's largest technology exhibition," read the screenshot of the tweet.

According to industry sources, the country may not yet be prepared to roll out 5G services from October 1, and may need some more days for the new technology to be in place.

During his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the Prime Minister had said that the 5G services will be launched in India soon.

Jointly organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the sixth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) will take place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from October 1-4.

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw last month said the government expects 5G services to be rolled out in the country by October 12, and the Centre will make sure that the prices are affordable for the consumers.

Vaishnaw said that installations are being done and telecom operations are busy with the seamless rollout of 5G services.

The government will ensure that the 5G plans remain affordable for the public, the minister said.

The 5G services would be rolled out in a phased manner and during the first phase, 13 cities are likely to get the 5G internet services.

The cities are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune.

Just like 3G and 4G, telcos will soon announce dedicated 5G tariff plans and according to industry experts, consumers may pay more to access the 5G services on their devices.

An immediate tariff war with the launch of 5G is unlikely, but it "will be competitive as India continues to be a price-conscious market".