5G Trials: ‘Let Our Firms Participate’, China Tells India

The Department of Telecommunications, on 4 May, gave the go-ahead for 5G technology and spectrum trials to telecom service providers (TSPs).

(Photo Courtesy: IANS)

The Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications of the Government of India on Tuesday, 4 May, gave the go-ahead for 5G technology and spectrum trials to telecom service providers (TSPs).

This means TSPs – including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio Infocomm, Vodafone Idea and MTNL – are expected to start 5G trials across the country. This trial is said to cover rural, semi-urban and urban areas.

However, Chinese telecom vendors such as Huawei and ZTE have been kept out from the 5G trials, amid concerns around network security and prevailing tensions in diplomatic and military relations between India and China.

In a statement, the telecom department said that it "approved permissions to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for conducting trials for use and applications of 5G technology. The applicant TSPs include Bharti Airtel Ltd, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Vodafone Idea Ltd and MTNL."

'Let Our Firms Take Part in 5G Trials': China

Deep concerns have been expressed by Beijing over India’s new telecom policy that does not permit Chinese telecommunication companies to conduct 5G trials in the country.

In a statement, Wang Xiaojian, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, said that China expresses “concern and regret that Chinese telecommunications companies have not been permitted to conduct 5G trials with Indian Telecom Service Providers in India.”

“Relevant Chinese companies have been operating in India for years, providing mass job opportunities and making contribution to India’s infrastructure construction in telecommunications,” Xiaojian said.

Xiojian believes that excluding Chinese telecommunications companies from the trials will not only harm their legitimate rights and interests, but also hinder the improvement of the Indian business environment, "which is not conducive to the innovation and development of related Indian industries”.

“India could do more to enhance mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, and provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory investment and business environment for market entities from all countries, including China, to operate and invest in India,” he added.

DOT Gives Nod's to Local Telecos

Earlier, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea submitted proposals to carry out the trails using the technology of China's Huawei. Later, both companies submitted applications saying that they will conduct the trails without technologies from Chinese vendors.

"These TSPs have tied up with original equipment manufacturers and technology providers which are Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and C-DOT. In addition, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd will also be conducting trials using its own indigenous technology," DoT said.

(With inputs from IANS)