Year 2018 catapulted the nation towards a digital revolution

2018 can be easily referred to as the “year of Digital”. The telecom sector saw some major developments from setting the stage for the commercial rollout of 5G and other emerging technologies such as M2M, IoT, AI, AR, VR and the introduction of the National Digital Communications Policy. Other noteworthy developments included Supreme Court’s verdict with respect to Aadhaar-based KYC and EMF testing of telecom towers at specific sites, telco mergers, acquisitions and consolidations. 

The telecom industry, along with the government, played a laudable role in ensuring connectivity pan-India. The entire gamut of stakeholders has worked in consonance to expand infrastructural capabilities to ensure robust connectivity and uninterrupted delivery of digital services to all. In the last year alone, telcos have invested a whopping Rs 10.4 lakh crore in building a world-class infrastructure. India has more than five lakh mobile towers with over 20 lakh BTSs. Under the government’s BharatNet programme, 1.2 lakh gram panchayats were connected through high speed OFC network by December and the idea is to take this number to 2.5 lakh, by March 2019. 

The year 2018 was mostly about digital transformation and the telecom industry went through interesting turns during the year. The Indian government allocated Rs 224 crore for the creation of a 5G testbed, which will be established in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Science. Furthermore, the Indian telcos have started exploring advanced radio technologies, such as, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation. 

In order to set a roadmap for the rollout of 5G, the government has set up a high-level forum. The advent of any new technology demands massive changes in the network, and 5G will be no different. 5G will require significant upgrades and overhauling of existing networks. Unlike previous technologies, 5G is not just about enhanced network speed, but it also promises to fundamentally change the way we live, work, and play, combined with user-friendly technology at our disposal through ultra-reliable and low latency networks. The 5G network spectrum would not only give users the luxury to use internet like never before but it would generate huge revenue streams for network operators.

Towards the third quarter of the year, the much awaited policy - National Digital Communications Policy 2018 - was accepted by the Cabinet. The policy aims to create 40 lakh new jobs in the sector. 
The policy aims to create a roadmap for transition to Industry 4.0 by 2020 and to expand the IoT ecosystem to 5 billion connected, which will result in efficiency improvements, economic benefits, and reduced human exertions. The policy envisages investments to the tune of $100 billion in the sector, which will provide much relief to the debt-ridden telecom sector.

At present, the telecom sector contributes over 6% to the GDP. The NDCP 2018 has set a target of 8% by 2022. The policy encompasses a wide range of forward-looking objectives to be fulfilled. Under its ‘Broadband for all’ initiative, it aims to make sure that every citizen has access to broadband running at least at a speed of 50Mbps, while all key development institutes should be receiving at least 100 Mpbs of speed by 2022. It has projected that, by 2022, 10 gigabytes per second (Gbps) connectivity shall be provided at the gram panchayat level. NDCP seeks to ensure connectivity in all areas that are currently uncovered through channelizing the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), thereby maximising citizen-centric connectivity as well as last-mile inclusivity.

Another positive development that happened this year is the implementation of the Right of Way (RoW) policy, especially with states like Rajasthan and Odisha adopting it. The RoW policy significantly eases the building of towers across the country, a major pain point directly impacting the quality of service and connectivity. 

One of the most crucial developments this year was the Supreme Court’s judgement on Aadhaar. Telecom operators were asked not to give away new SIM or mobile connections on the basis of Aadhaar e-KYC authentication process going forward. If any customer wishes to de-link his/her Aadhaar number from his existing mobile connection, he/she may do so by submitting fresh KYC documents such as PAN Card, Voter ID card etc., with his telecom service provider, as was the system earlier. The government and the industry worked together to create an OTP based digital verification solution as the earlier method of physical verification was inconvenient and arduous. An entirely paperless process is much more hassle-free. 

Towards the end of the year, the second edition of South Asia’s biggest telecom and internet event took place in New Delhi: the India Mobile Congress. The event witnessed discussions on emerging technologies, policy and regulatory guidelines along with technology showcases and use cases. It also provided a platform for budding entrepreneurs to gain exposure and build connections. The event was graced by the who’s who of the industry with the telecommunications minister making major announcements such as the roll out of 1 million WiFi hotspots across the nation, amongst others. Major industry veterans joined hands to uphold the telecom sector as the backbone of India’s digital transformation. 

To sum it up, the sector promises a welcoming start to 2019. With expectations of 5G rollout and rapid adoption of next-gen technologies, the foundation for a complete digitalised future has been clearly laid. The nation is moving fast from being a voice-centric market to a data-centric market and this is opening up a plethora of opportunities and revenue channels. The future looks bright and we are here to do the best we can to make it so.

The writer is director general, Cellular Operators' Association of India

5G ALL THE WAY

5G promises to fundamentally change the way we live, work, and play, combined with user-friendly technology at our disposal through ultra-reliable and low latency networks

The 5G network spectrum would not only give users the luxury to use internet like never before, but it would generate huge revenue streams for network operators