PM Narendra Modi to officially launch 5G in India tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially launch 5G in India tomorrow, October 1 at the sixth edition of India Mobile Congress in New Delhi. According to a PMO notice, the prime minister will deliver his speech at 10 AM at Pragati Maidan, which will also kickstart the four-day event. The IMC is returning to an on-ground event after the COVID-19 setback, and this year's theme is 'New Digital Universe'. It will bring together leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and government officials to discuss and showcase opportunities emerging from the rapid adoption and spread of digital technology.

that PM Modi would be joined by top industry leaders like Reliance's Mukesh Ambani, Airtel's Sunil Mittal, and Vi (formerly Vodafone Idea)'s Vi's India head Ravinder Takkar on the stage during the 5G announcement. The leaders will likely unveil the 5G launch date in the country, and details about prices and 5G plans will be shared sometime later.

PM Modi, who's repeatedly emphasised his Digital India vision, even spoke about 5G during his Independence speech this year. On August 15, he said that the connectivity option would offer ten times faster speeds than existing 4G. Indian villages would get access to optical fibre, and soon the internet would reach the remotest part of the country.

Even the latest PMO release reads, "5G technology will provide seamless coverage, high data rate, low latency, and highly reliable communications. It will increase energy efficiency, spectrum efficiency and network efficiency".

Meanwhile, IMC 2022 will have a variety of panels and booths to cover topics around 5G. The IMC under the company Mobipro Innovation Pvt Ltd is the largest telecom, media, and technology forum in Asia, jointly organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). Earlier in September, Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said 5G would roll out in India this month, and the fast-internet service will reach more Indian cities and towns by the end of this year. The services will continue to expand next year. Reliance Jio had also said its 5G services would roll out in at least four cities by Diwali.