India’s telecoms minister says 5G launch is imminent
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India’s telecoms minister says 5G launch is imminent

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India’s 5G launch is imminent, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the country’s telecoms minister revealed on Twitter.

Vaishnaw tweeted: “5G update: Spectrum assignment letter issued. Requesting TSPs to prepare for 5G launch.”

India’s Department of Telecom (DoT) has issued assignment letters to service providers after several Indian telcos acquired 5G spectrum at its latest auction.

"We understand that the spectrum purchased is good enough to cover all the circles in the country,” Vaishnaw told a press briefing after the auction.

He added that India’s 5G coverage will be “very good” over the next three years.

Reliance Jio spent $US11 billion to acquire spectrum in the 700MHz, 800MHz, 1800MHz, 3300MHz and 26GHz frequency bands.

Bharti Airtel won US$5.4 billion worth of spectrum and Vodafone winning US$2.4 billion worth.

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said that his company receive a spectrum allocation letter within a few hours of making an upfront payment to the DoT.

In a statement released on Airtel India’s Twitter account, Mittal said: "In my over 30 years of first-hand experience with DoT, this is a first! Business as it should be. Leadership at work-right at the top and at the helm of telecom.

“What a change! Change that can transform this nation – power its dreams to be a developed nation.

Airtel says it will launch its 5G services this month.

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