Beginning research and development efforts into the forthcoming generation of network standards early could position India as a global leader in the 6G revolution, as emphasized by prominent telecom operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer at Airtel, underscored the importance of not only focusing on 6G development but also on monetizing the existing 5G mobile networks. He stressed the need to channel energies into standardization and research to spearhead the next wave of technological advancement. “I think we should focus our energies on standardisation, and we should focus on research and development to lead this next generation of revolution. At the same time, it’s important to create opportunities for monetizing what you (telcos) are working on (5G),” Vatts said.
Ravi Gandhi, Chief Regulatory Officer at Reliance Jio, highlighted that while India may have lagged in contributing to the development of 5G technology, the time is ripe to shape the trajectory of 6G. “5G standards were being rolled out between 2016 to 2018. 2024 is when we have 5G. So it has taken seven or eight years. If by 2030, we want to see 6G, then this is the time for standardisation,” he said. Gandhi emphasized India’s proactive role, already influencing aspects like ubiquity and sustainability, which are deemed crucial for the success of future standards. These discussions unfolded during a panel session on ‘6G: A Real Opportunity for India to Shape the Global Standards Framework’ at the ETTelecom 5G 6G Congress 2024.
Gandhi proposed a network-centric approach to intelligence, advocating for distributing resources within the network to enhance capabilities in AI and machine learning while reducing the cost of consumer devices. Meanwhile, Airtel anticipates the finalization of 6G standards by 2029, highlighting the extensive journey ahead for the ecosystem to materialize commercially. Vatts outlined the progression from paper submissions to testbed creations, chip development, and hardware manufacturing, culminating in eventual commercial rollout.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT)’s endeavors in 6G standardization have yielded significant progress, with ubiquitous connectivity, intelligence, and sustainability emerging as pivotal elements of the envisioned 6G technology. India aims to introduce 6G technology by 2030, viewing 5G as a stepping stone and precursor to 6G. SP Kochhar, Director-General of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), emphasized the continuity between 5G and 6G frameworks, focusing on applications and monetization. Anil Kumar Bhardwaj, DDG at the Department of Telecommunications, echoed the sentiment, recognizing the transformative opportunity that 6G presents for India, transitioning from technology buyers to significant contributors to technological advancements.
