5G Services Rolled Out In Over 230 Cities, Towns In India

Around 238 cities and towns in India now have 5G connetivity, the government informed the Parliament on Wednesday (8 February).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 5G services in India in October.

"Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have started providing 5G services in the country from 01.10.2022 onwards. As on 31.01.2023, 5G services have been started in 238 cities distributed across all license service areas," Union Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said on Wednesday.

Chahuan said that the government has established a road map to make 5G services available in different parts of the country through rollout obligations. 

As per the Notice Inviting Application (NIA) for auction of spectrum and the license conditions, the rollout obligations are required to be met over a period of five years, in a phased manner, from the date of allocation of spectrum, the minister said.

Further expansion of mobile networks beyond the mandatory rollout obligations depends on the techno-commercial consideration of the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), he added.

Two major telecom services providers in India - Reliance Jio and Airtel - have started the progressive roll out of the 5G sercvices in the country from October last year.

Jio's 5G service is available in 236 cities and towns spread across 29 cities and union territories.

Airtel has also rolled out its 5G services in over 70 cities and towns across the country.