5G in India: When and where can you ACTUALLY get 5G speeds on your phone?

5G in India! It is officially announced and telecom operators now want to woo you at all costs with tall promises. Theoretically, 5G services in India will allow for much faster mobile data speeds, allowing more use cases for rural India as well as several industrial sectors. The average Indian user can expect mobile data speeds in Gbps, with the higher limit set to 20 Gbps. And at the Indian Mobile Congress in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, PM Narendra Modi flagged off the 5G rollout in India.

But the obvious questions arise – will 5G services be available from today? The simple answer is No, not today. The official announcement has been made today and network operators can now begin setting up the infrastructure to set up the 5G networks across the country. The metro cities are expected to taste 5G first but even that’s not happening today. At the earliest, people in New Delhi will be able to witness 5G networks at the Indira Gandhi International Airport’s T3 terminal.

Here is everything you need to know about 5G in India.

5G in India: Is it launching today?

While the announcement has been made today, 5G won’t be starting from October 1. Network operators like Reliance Jio and Airtel have hinted at the earliest 5G networks going live by Diwali. Hence, you are not going to see the 5G icon pop-up on your 5G compatible smartphone.

Where will 5G launch first?

Jio has announced 5G services for Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai in the first leg, while Airtel says all major metro cities will get 5G services in the first phase. Airtel has even said it will have 5G services in most Indian cities and rural areas by March 2024. Vodafone Idea is yet to make any announcements.

Will 5G be available everywhere in metro cities?

In the initial phases, you can expect 5G to be available in certain pockets, or areas. For example, New Delhi will get to witness 5G speeds first at its T3 Terminal of the IGI airport. Over the months, you can expect 5G coverage to mushroom in all areas.

Do you need a 5G SIM card?

Airtel says its customers on 4G LTE services won’t need to upgrade the SIM card. Airtel’s 4G SIM cards can support 5G networks and users will only need to enable it from their handset, when 5G services are rolled out. Jio hasn’t said anything but you can expect the same implementation, considering the technologies are similar. Wait for official announcement for telcos on this front.

What are the benefits of 5G?

5G services will bring faster internet speeds on mobile date; much faster than current generation broadband speeds. 5G will also allow for lower latency in connections, and more reliable connectivity.

What smartphones you need for 5G?

Any smartphone that supports 5G bands can access 5G networks easily. Check your smartphone’s box for 5G markings, or check with the manufacturer. Apple iPhone models from iPhone 12 and newer, as well as iPhone SE 3rd Gen support 5G connectivity. Similarly, most high-end phones from Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo and Vivo support 5G networks. Note that 5G speeds depend on the 5G modem used in your smartphone – 5G will be faster on more expensive smartphones.

Will 5G be more expensive than 4G?

No telecom operator has released prices and plans for 5G services yet but many have hinted at affordable rates. Operators like Jio and Airtel could try to be competitive with their 5G plans in order to onboard customers to 5G services. Vodafone Idea, on the other hand, has hinted at higher prices. That said, we will need to wait and see how 5G plans are charted by operators.

Is 5G dangerous to human health?

No scientific study has confirmed any negative aspect of 5G airwaves on human health. Hence, using 5G services will be as safe as it is using 4G services.