At the 7th Edition of the India Mobile Congress 2023 in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a groundbreaking initiative by unveiling 100 ‘5G Use Case Labs’ for educational institutions nationwide. These state-of-the-art labs are being established as part of the ‘100 5G labs initiative,’ encompassing major technical institutions and prestigious universities, including the renowned IITs, across different states in India.
The ‘100 5G labs initiative’ signifies a dedicated effort to harness the potential of 5G technology by promoting the development of innovative 5G applications tailored to India’s unique requirements as well as global demands. This pioneering initiative will stimulate innovation across various socio-economic sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, power, and transportation, effectively positioning the country at the forefront of 5G technology adoption.
Additionally, this initiative represents a crucial stride in cultivating a 6G-ready academic and startup ecosystem within India. Beyond this, it is instrumental in advancing indigenous telecommunications technology, a critical component for national security.
At IMC 2023, Reliance Jio, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, showcased India’s maiden satellite-based GigaFiber service known as Jio SpaceFiber. This groundbreaking service aspires to deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to previously unreachable regions across India. Jio SpaceFiber will be accessible throughout the nation at highly affordable rates, making it a game-changer in bridging the digital divide.
As of now, Jio SpaceFiber is available in four of the most remote locations in India – Gir, Gujarat; Korba, Chhattisgarh; Nabarangpur, Odisha; and ONGC-Jorhat, Assam. The collaboration between Jio and SES enables access to the latest in medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite technology, leveraging SES’s O3b and new O3b mPOWER satellites. This unique partnership sets the stage for delivering Gigabit, fiber-like services from space, offering scalable and cost-effective broadband connectivity across India with an unprecedented level of reliability and service flexibility.
The India Mobile Congress (IMC) stands as the premier forum in Asia, encompassing telecom, media, and technology. The event, held from October 27 to October 29, 2023, will see participation from over one lakh attendees representing approximately 22 countries, including 5,000 CEOs, 230 exhibitors, 400 startups, and various stakeholders.
Under the theme of ‘Global Digital Innovation,’ IMC 2023 aims to bolster India’s stature as a developer, manufacturer, and exporter of cutting-edge technologies. The three-day congress will spotlight transformative technologies like 5G and the potential of 6G, the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and delve into issues pertaining to the semiconductor industry, green technology, cybersecurity, and more.
