The Department of Telecommunications’ initiative to explore 5G use cases with 14 Indian ministries is making headway. Eight of the fourteen ministries part of the DoT’s interministerial committee have identified educational institutions which will become centres of excellence and take forward engagement with the industry to develop vertical-specific use cases in 5G.
BusinessLine also learned from sources in the DoT that telecom service providers, system integrators and other indigenous network solution providers will be demonstrating 5G use cases to the ministries and potentially the Prime Minister at the India Mobile Congress, the country’s flagship event on telecommunications in October.
Inter-ministerial committee
BusinessLine had reported in March that in anticipation of 5G, the DoT had set up an inter-ministerial committee along with 14 other ministries. As part of this initiative, the DoT is directing them to explore the incorporation of the benefits of 5G technology into public infrastructure. With 5G increasing the scope of telephony by manifold- the use cases in the discussion include a private network for police communications, incorporation of 5G technology in hazardous applications such as mining under the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), and application of 5G technology in public waterworks system or for agriculture.
The Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Railways are a few ministries on the committee.
Speaking to BusinessLine on conditions of anonymity, a top DoT official noted, “So far, the DoT has conducted 30 meetings with the ministries on developing vertical-specific 5G use cases. We have received a positive response from the ministries. We are introducing members of the industry including telecom service providers, system integrators such as TCS, Wipro etc, indigenous network solutions providers as well as bigger network vendors such as Nokia and Erricson to these ministries. The goal is to familiarise the ministries with the existing 5G technology for the ministries to develop relevant user cases utilising the same.”
The DoT has also drafted a whitepaper on 5G use cases which is in circulation amongst the ministries and industry for this purpose.
Published on
September 05, 2022
