India To Witness 100% 5G Coverage By December 2024, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw The communication minister had said that locally developed 4G and 5G technology stack has drawn interest from over 9 countries, making India a potential telecom technology exporter

By Teena Jose

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Ashwini Vaishnaw Twitter handle

Communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday, has said that there will be 100% coverage of 5G in India by December 2024, according to a FE report.

"India's 5G is one of the fastest in the world. We had promised India will achieve 5G coverage across 200 cities and districts by March 31 in the phase one. As on today, India has covered 387 districts with 5G and 100,000 sites," said Vaishnaw in a statement referring to the Jio and Airtel 5G launch in 387 districts with deployment of 100,000 base transceivers.

The report further added that the reason for a faster pace of 5G coverage can be attributed to competition between the two telecom players for the market share, increased consumption of data with evolved technology use cases, and the easier right-of-way related permissions to lay telecom infrastructure.

"Today, 85% of the permissions to lay telecom towers are happening instantaneously. The average duration to approve (the telecom infra-related requests) is 7 days, which was earlier 200 days," Vaishnaw added.

Earlier this month, during the Economic Times Global Business Summit (GBS) 2023, the communication minister had said that locally developed 4G and 5G technology stack has drawn interest from over 9 countries, making India a potential telecom technology exporter. However as per reports, currently, about 18 countries have shown interest in India's 4G and 5G stack.

"There are at least nine or ten countries which want to try it out and it will be rolled out soon. I am very happy to share with all of you Prime Minister's vision of making India as a telecom technology exporter," Vaishnaw had reportedly said in a statement

Being asked on the timeline for the next reforms for the sector, Vaishnaw said the immediate target is to get the telecom bill passed in the coming monsoon session and that will lead to a major series of reforms in terms of spectrum, licences, and regulationS, stated the report while adding that government has also been focussing on implementing indigenous technology stack to rollout 4G and 5G services by BSNL.

According to recent reports, Akash Ambani at a post budget webinar of ministry of electronics and information technology has stated that Reliance Jio will undertake the fastest rollout of 5G in the world, while adding that 5G will transform healthcare services, education, agriculture and disaster management, making cities smart and societies safer.

Teena Jose

News Desk Reporter with Entrepreneur India

Teena is a post graduate in financial journalism. She has an avid interest in content creation, digital media and fashion.
Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

News and Trends

Manipal Hospitals Signs Deal to Acquire Sahyadri from Ontario Teachers'

With this acquisition, Manipal Hospitals will operate a total of 49 hospitals and approximately 12,000 beds, positioning it among the largest hospital networks in India.

News and Trends

Flipkart Ventures Launches Leap Ahead 4.0 to Support Early-Stage Startups

The initiative offers equity investments of up to USD 500,000, along with structured mentorship from Flipkart leaders, industry experts, and venture partners.

Growing a Business

Why Storytelling (Not Selling) Is Your Most Powerful Branding Tool

A thought leader is a sum of their stories. Learn why sharing your unique thoughts, feelings and perspectives can help you stand apart from other experts in your field.

Business News

Here's How Much Google Software Engineers, Product Managers, and Data Scientists Make in a Year

Data revealed in federal filings shows how much Google is compensating its employees.

News and Trends

iCapital Raises USD 820 Mn, Reaches USD 7.5 Bn Valuation

The capital will be used to support strategic acquisitions that improve the advisor and client experience, empower asset managers to expand their reach and attract a broader range of investors, and create opportunities to reduce friction in the ecosystem for all participants.