Nokia in talks with Indian telecom firms on 5G trials

The Dollar Business Bureau

Nokia Networks, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nokia Corporation, is in discussion with telecommunications operators in India to begin trials of fifth-generation (5G) networks even as the country is still in the phase to fully roll out the 4G technology-based mobile data and voice services.

The Finland-based telecommunications equipment company is already testing 5G networks with international telecom majors such as Verizon of the US, SK Telecom of Korea and NTT Docomo of Japan.

While speaking at an event on Tuesday, Milivoj Vela, Head - Mobile Broadband, Nokia Networks, said that this next generation 5G technology will assure delivery of 100 megabit per second (mbps) speed at homes and will be capable to handle thousand times more data traffic when it will be put into commercial use by 2020.

Speaking about 5G networks, he said that the focus of 5G technology will be on data services whereas voice calls will be delivered through 4G.

"At global level, the spectrum talks, in which 5G can operate, will be completed by 2019. Commercial deployment of 5G will begin in 2020. After that you can see a guaranteed speed of 100 mbps, all over," Vela said.

He further said that 5G network will operate in the spectrum bandwidth of above 6000 MHz and will be launched in stages.

On the other hand, telecommunication companies in India are still investing to roll out 4G networks and major regions of the country are yet to be covered under the high-speed fourth generation technology.

In India, Nokia Networks is a part of Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI) which is working on 5G, and is in talks with telecommunication operators to start trials for 5G.