Airtel, Ericsson launch India’s first rural 5G trial
Indian Telecom operator Bharti Airtel and Swedish vendor Ericsson initiated a plan of what seems to be India’s first rural 5G network trial, enabling access to high broadband in the areas.
Initiated in the village Bhaipur Bramanan by using a 5G trial spectrum given to Airtel from India’s Department of Telecom, the trial could hold great capabilities to break the digital divide between urban and rural parts of the country.
The 5G trial determined speed efficiency as it covered 200 Mbps through a 3GPP-compliant 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) device, reaching a distance of over 10 km from the initial site’s location, at a distance of approximately 20km. Airtel delivered the 5G trial’s coverage via its existing 4G towers.
3GPP, defined as the 3rd Generation Partnership, unites seven telecommunication standard development organizations under one umbrella, known as “Organizational Partners.” It provides members with a stable environment to create Reports and Specifications that define 3GPP technologies.
The project covers main pillars related to telecommunication technologies, such as radio access, core network, and service capabilities.
Moreover, the trial demonstrated promising results in terms of speed as it marked a 100MB/s speed on a smartphone.
Both companies disclosed that the 5G trial’s results have showcased that the technology is fit to deliver high-speed exposure in remote areas.
“The technology milestone of extended coverage achieved by Ericsson and Airtel as part of the ongoing 5G trial in India is even more significant since it demonstrates how 5G can ‘connect the unconnected in India, enable faster 5G rollout and truly help India realize its ‘Digital India’ vision,” Head of Ericsson Southeast Asia, Oceana and India, Nunzio Mirtillo said in a statement.
Earlier this year, Airtel deployed its urban 5G trials, after acquiring a license in May, and will stay in effect for six months. The telco revealed that 5G will play a fundamental role in intertwining India’s rural population of 900 million in a digital way.