The 5G technology is being standardised globally to enable Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The centre at IIT-Madras can work on the development of IoT and Machine to Machine applications which are relevant and best suited for India. 

This move will keep the country at par with global technology, according to industry sources.  

Reacting to the Budget announcement, Professor Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras, said, “The development of a 5G technology test-bed is an initiative that involves IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IISc Bangalore, CEWiT (Centre of Excellence in Wireless Technology at IIT Madras) and SAMEER in Chennai,” he said and explained that the proposal was to build an end-to-end test bed for 5G technology located at multiple locations at some of these institutes, interconnected by a high-speed fibre-optic network. 

“It will incorporate several new technologies developed ab initio, and be compliant with the emerging global 5G standard to which India is making significant contributions; in particular it will include Internet of Things (IoT), Millimeter Wave Communications, Massive MIMO, Software Defined Networking, Network Function Virtualisation, LiFi, and Network Security,” he added.