India likely to collaborate with South Korea for jointly setting up 5G test labs

According to some sources who told PTI, India is in discussions with South Korea, a global leader in telecom technologies, for jointly setting up 5G test laboratories.

“The telecom ministry is in discussion with South Korea to collaborate in the field of telecommunications including setting up of 5G test laboratories,” an official source told PTI.

South Korea was ranked second in information communications technology index for 2017 by the International Telecommunication Union, while India was at the 134th position. The country has led the world for many years in the development of advanced telecom technologies. Over 90 percent of households in South Korea have access to over 1,000-megabit per second broadband speed service, claims ITU.

The source had also clarified that the initiative of partnering South Korea was taken by the telecom minister (Manoj Sinha) during his visit to Mobile World Congress in Spain. There is also a plan in place, to sign a memorandum of understanding between both countries in the field of telecom.

As claimed by the industry estimates, South Korea is likely to be among the early starters of 5G services. Telecom operators in South Korea have already conducted trial runs of 5G technologies during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

“The minister (Sinha) has already committed that India will be among early starters of 5G. Partnership with South Korea will help India expedite its plan for 5G rollout,” the source said.

Most of the industry players and experts believe that India is likely to see the rollout of 5G services after standards for the technology are finalized by ITU in 2019.