Reliance Jio has started 5G field trials in Mumbai. The telecom operator has used its own indigenously developed 5G equipment. Besides, the company is expected to partner with Samsung, Nokia, and Ericsson to conduct trials in other circles in the coming days. Notably, the telecom operator manufactured 5G equipment with local partners.
"The network went live quickly after receiving a trial spectrum from the DoT. We are using both mid and mm-wave bands with standalone architecture for 5G trials in Mumbai," a senior executive said.
He added that their 5G trials will be bigger in terms of sites and soon the company will test 5G networks in other cities or areas, reports ET. In addition, Reliance Jio is likely to test 5G services in Gujarat, Hyderabad, and Delhi. However, Reliance Jio did not announce anything on the trial front.
Airtel 5G Trials In Gurgaon
This development comes soon after Airtel conducted 5G trials in Gurgaon on June 13th, 2021. The telecom operator has joined hands with Ericsson for testing the networks on the 3500 MHz band. Both companies have managed to deliver 1 Gbps speed during the trials.
Airtel has received a 5G spectrum for conducting trials in Mumbai, Delhi, NCR, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. Recently, the telecom ministry allocated spectrum in 3.5 GHz, 26 GHz, and 700 MHz bands for testing the 5G network and to develop the use cases in the new technology.
Reliance Jio has tested its 5G radio and core solution, which will allow the telco to rollout self-sufficient and cost-effective services. However, both telcos have not announced their plans to test 5G in rural areas.
Why Are 5G Trials Important For Airtel and Reliance Jio?
It is worth noting that the allotment of 5G to two leading telcos, such as Reliance Jio and Airtel is really important and bought airwaves in the recent auction to fulfill the data needs due to COVID-19 and launch 5G.
Additionally, Airtel and Reliance Jio claim that they have achieved 1 Gbps speed during the testing on the 5GNR solutions. However, telcos might not offer the same speed after launching the network as India is highly populated.