Urbanization is a big trend in India. But in a country with
an estimated population of 1.4 billion people, some 900 million live in rural
areas. That figure alone amounts to more than 11 percent of the entire
population of Earth. That’s why India’s first rural 5G trial, by Ericsson and
Airtel, on already-available 3GPP-compliant 5G technology, is big news. The
trial signals that the most transformative connectivity technology in history
is already capable of being deployed using the same 3GPP standards as the rest
of the world - and can help to bridge India’s rural-urban digital divide in the
process. The trial, which took place in Bhaipur Bramanan village on the
outskirts of Delhi, focused on Airtel and Ericsson’s ability to bring
3GPP-compliant Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and enhanced mobile broadband 5G
capabilities to larger rural area spans. The trial was carried out using 3.5Ghz
mid-band test 5G spectrum - awarded to Airtel by India’s Department of Telecom
for the purposes of the trial. Existing FDD spectrum was also used during the
trial. More than 200Mbps throughput was achieved on the 3GPP compliant 5G FWA
device at distance of more than 10 km from the test site. As part of the trial,
a commercially available 3GPP-based 5G smartphone connected to the 5G test
network, delivering more than 100Mbps speeds beyond a 10km range.
This equates to an inter-site (between two 5G sites)
coverage of approximately 20 kms, showing that high-speed 5G broadband coverage
can be deployed across even remote areas. The trial also highlighted Airtel’s
capability of enabling 5G for both coverage and capacity over its existing nationwide
4G infrastructure. Randeep Singh
Sekhon, CTO, Airtel, says: “Having demonstrated India’s first 5G network and
also the first 5G cloud gaming experience, Airtel is proud to have also
conducted the nation’s first 5G trial in a rural setting.” He adds: “5G will be
a transformational technology when it comes to delivering broadband coverage to
the last mile through use cases like Fixed Wireless Access and contribute to a
more inclusive digital economy. Airtel will continue to be at the forefront of
5G technology and bring more India-relevant use cases through partnerships such
as the one with Ericsson.” Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Ericsson South East Asia,
Oceania and India, says: “The technology milestone of extended coverage
achieved by Ericsson and Airtel as part of the ongoing 5G trial in India is
significant as it shows how 5G can connect the unconnected in India, enable faster 5G rollout and help the country
to realize its Digital India vision. 5G will serve as a socio-economic
multiplier for the country.”
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