New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 5G services in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on Saturday. PM Modi will also inaugurate the sixth edition of the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC). The IMC 2022 is scheduled to be held from October 1 to 4 with the theme of “New digital Universe”.
It will bring together leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and government officials to discuss and showcase unique opportunities emerging from the rapid adoption and spread of digital technology, PMO said in a statement. This comes one month after Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that 5G will be launched by October 12.
The 5G spectrum auction organised earlier this year by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) saw Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Adani Data Services, and Vodafone Idea bid for 5G spectrum worth Rs 1,50,173 crore. Reliance Jio was the biggest bidder accounting for 58.65 per cent of the total value. Bharti Airtel is the second biggest bidder amongst the four participants with bids worth Rs 43,084 crore.
Vodafone Idea Limited has made bids worth Rs 18,799 crore to acquire 6,228 MHz spectrum in 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz. The first-ever auction of the 5G spectrum in India began on July 26. The bidding for the auction had ended after a total of 40 rounds of bidding that were held in seven days. A total of 40 rounds of bidding were conducted.
Earlier in August, the Government had issued spectrum allocation letters to telecom service providers while asking them to prepare for the rollout of 5G services in the country. All the major telecom operators are all set to roll out 5G services across the country.