Foreign media reported that Indian wireless operators have unanimously avoided cooperating with Chinese telecom companies in the 5G field when they try out 5G networks due to the standoff conflict along the Sino-Indian border.
India’s telecom ministry said in an announcement on Tuesday (4) that Bharti Airtel Ltd, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Vodafone Idea Ltd and state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. have partnered with equipment makers Elysian, Nokia, Samsung Electronics and state-run The Centre for Development of Telematics (CDFT) is partnering to pilot Reliance Jio, which will also use its own technology, primarily on 5G technology. The trial period of six months includes two months of equipment procurement and installation time.
Indeed, the Indian telecom operator’s decision to shun Huawei and ZTE echoes the actions of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, which have all issued warnings about two companies with possible ties to the Chinese government. While India had earlier allowed Huawei to participate in 5G trials, its stance on Huawei has hardened after clashes between the two countries’ armies in a disputed border area last year. India has also blocked ByteDaily’s TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps, citing sovereignty and security concerns.
With companies such as Netflix and Amazon entering the Indian market, Indian wireless operators are eager to roll out high-speed wireless networks that offer a better user experience in streaming media, gaming and entertainment. According to a Deloitte report, 5G could be the catalyst for India’s digital economy, which is expected to reach $1 trillion in size by 2025.
Reliance Jio, owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, said last week it was field-testing the network performance of its 5G network and was standardizing equipment configurations from device manufacturers; as for rival Bharti Airtel, it recently purchased relevant spectrum to strengthen its telecom infrastructure and take back market share from main rival Reliance Jio to regain market share.
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