Govt to set up 100 5G labs in country: Vaishnaw

New Delhi: The government plans to set up 100 labs for 5G technology across India and at least 12 of them will be used to train students and conduct experiments, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on October 2. The minister also asked companies participating in the Indian Mobile Congress to provide their input for the new telecom bill through which the government aims to simplify licensing regime.

"We are going to set up 100 5G labs across the country. I request the telecom industry to come together and convert at least 12 of these 100 labs into telecom incubators to train students and do experiments," said Vaishnaw.

"The government is working significantly towards simplifying the licensing regime for all telecom players. I am really happy to see the energy of startups and MSMEs, who are going to rural areas to benefit people," he said.

HFCL announces launch of 5G Lab-as-a-Service

At the event, indigenous telecom gear maker HFCL announced the launch of 5G Lab-as-a-Service to accelerate the rollout of 5G solutions and services. It will provide an automated test environment for the private sector, academia and government to work together on product innovations from concept to reality.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also visited the India Mobile Congress, where he said that the launch of 5G is going to be a defining moment for not only India, but for the world.

"A large economy like India, which has talent, is emerging from the shadows to take a leadership role. We are now indigenously designing, developing and manufacturing goods and showing the world the scale and speed with which we will take 5G through the length and breadth of India.

"Some of the products that I saw displayed here, at one point in time it was assumed that they had to be imported. I must compliment all the researchers, and private organisations for their innovative work," Goyal said.

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