5G services: Good news on PRICES, cities, availability TODAY and more

5G has been launched in India today and soon the service will be available for all. Ushering in an era of ultra high-speed internet on mobile phones, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, October 1 launched the 5G telephony services in the country. What needs to be noted is that the service will first be rolled out for only 13 cities at first and then it will progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years. The cities to get 5G services first include Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Pune, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Jamnagar. Here is all you need to know about the 5G services- what it is, expected tariff, availability, and more.

What is 5G ?

5G stands for the 5th generation mobile network. 5G technology will provide seamless coverage, high data rate, low latency, and highly reliable communications and will also increase energy efficiency, spectrum efficiency and network efficiency.

Who will roll out 5G services in India?

The three major telecom operators- Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea will roll out 5G services in India. Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said that Airtel will be launching 5G telecom services in eight cities, including four metros, on Saturday (October 1) and will progressively cover the entire country by March 2024.

Reliance Jio is expected to roll out Jio 5G services across multiple key cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai by Diwali this year.

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, while speaking at the launch event of the 5G services announced that Reliance Jio will launch affordable 5G services across the country by December 2023.

5G services tariff rates

The tariff rates or the pricing details of the 5G services has not yet been revealed by the telecom giants like Jio, Airtel, among others. However, according to the Union Electronics and Information technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the 5G services plans will be on par with the 4G plans. Also, in his statement today, Mukesh Ambani has hinted that the 5G services will be rolled out at affordable rates.

Will all the smartphones support 5G services

Any smartphone that supports 5G bands can access the 5G network easily. Almost all the smartphone brands- Apple, Samsung, Oppo, Realme, among others have launched 5G models in India.