A two-day workshop titled “5G Use Case Labs: Awareness and Pre-Commissioning Readiness” commenced on February 12, 2024, at IIT Guwahati, inaugurated by Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) of the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India. The event, organized by the National Telecommunications Institute for Policy Research, Innovation and Training (NTIPRIT) in Ghaziabad, saw participation from over 100 attendees representing approximately 30 institutions from the eastern region. The primary objective of the workshop was to promote innovation in 5G technology use cases.
The initiative involves the establishment of 100 5G Use Case Labs across India, funded by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), with a particular emphasis on the East Zone, encompassing 30 institutions including IIT Guwahati. The Standards-R&D-Innovation (SRI) division of DoT headquarters is overseeing the policy, implementation, and capacity building aspects related to the 5G labs, ensuring timely installation and effective utilization by faculty, students, and startup communities. The announcement to set up 100 5G Labs was made by the Prime Minister during the India Mobile Congress held in October the previous year.
Dr. Neeraj Mittal emphasized the importance of academic institutions maximizing the potential of 5G Use Case Labs to create new applications, ensuring that the benefits of 5G technology permeate every sector of society and contribute to India’s development. Shri K. Moses Chalai, Secretary NEC, addressed faculty and industry participants from the eastern region, stressing the importance of leveraging 5G use cases for the development of the Northeastern Region (NER).
The workshop featured presentations on various potential use cases of 5G across government, enterprises, education, agriculture, health, and entertainment sectors. Nayan Technologies showcased a solution to capture data on civic amenities deficiencies in specific areas and provide intelligence to government agencies. Nimbal Vision presented an innovative product for monitoring and addressing water-saving and leakage issues. Perkant Technology introduced “Abhayparimit,” a patented health solution showcased at the WHO. TechXR demonstrated a low-cost AR-VR solution with applications in training, academics, and pilgrimage, among others.
Discussions were held among faculty members from institutions like IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati, and other engineering colleges, industry representatives, startups, researchers, students, and DoT officers. Participants also visited the IoT Lab at IIT Guwahati. Prof. Ratnajit Bhattacharjee from the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at IIT Guwahati, along with Shri Atul Sinha, DDG NTIPRIT, shared their perspectives during the inaugural session.
