5G software update by November end in India: Samsung

NEW DELHI: Samsung India on Wednesday said it will roll out the software update for its vast portfolio of 5G devices in the country by the end of next month.

The company said in a statement to IANS that it is currently working with operator partners for a seamless roll-out of 5G experience for users.

"We are working closely with our operator partners and are committed to rolling out OTA updates across all our 5G devices by end of November 2022, enabling Indian consumers to experience 5G seamlessly," a Samsung India spokesperson told IANS.

"Samsung has pioneered 5G technology development since 2009 and took the leading role in standardising 5G technology globally," the company spokesperson added.

In India, Samsung has the widest portfolio of 5G devices.

The announcement came as the government convened a meeting of handset manufacturers and telecom service providers on Wednesday to ensure a smooth transition towards the new technology.

Prioritising software upgrade would enable early adoption of 5G in India.

Airtel and Jio have rolled out their 5G services in key metros in a phased manner. There are no 5G roll out plans from Vodafone-Idea yet.

India is home to more than 500 million smartphone users and over 100 million users with 5G-ready smartphones wish to upgrade to a 5G subscription in 2023, according to a latest Ericsson report.

The study said that the Indian smartphone users are willing to pay a 45 per cent premium for a plan bundled with novel experiences, which could be a delight for Internet service providers ready with 5G.

However, there are multiple challenges ahead for telecom service providers to meet the roll-out deadlines.