Bharti Airtel in collaboration with Nokia conducts India's first 700 MHz 5G trial

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Thursday said it has conducted India's first 5G trial in the 700 MHz spectrum band in partnership with Nokia. The demonstration was conducted on the outskirts of Kolkata marked the first 5G trial in Eastern India, the company said in a statement. Using the wave communication technology clocked at 700MHz, Nokia and Airtel achieved a wireless network coverage of up to 40km between two 5G enabled sites.

Airtel has been allotted test spectrum in multiple bands by the Department of Telecommunications for the validation of 5G technology and uses cases. "Airtel conducts India's first 5G trial in the 700 MHz band in partnership with Nokia," the telco said. Airtel used equipment from Nokia's 5G portfolio, which included Nokia AirScale radios and standalone (SA) core. It is important to note that it was Airtel who launched the first 4G network communication service in Kolkata back in 2012. 

Airtel was first company to test India's first 5G wireless transfer over a 4G connection

Airtel has also showcased the first rural 5G trial in India, along with the first cloud gaming experiment conducted via 5G. Under the 5G for Business initiative, Airtel has partnered with global technology and consulting firms to test 5G based online solutions. As the development took place, Airtel's stock also went up by 0.40% or Rs. 3.05. On November 25, Airtel's stock was trading at Rs. 761.95. 

Upon the development, CTO of Bharti Airtel, Randeep Singh Sekhon said that Airtel is delighted to conduct the country's first 5G demonstration in the 700 MHz band in Kolkata. "We believe that with the right pricing of 5G spectrum in the upcoming auctions, India can unlock the digital dividend and build a truly connected society with broadband for all," says Sekhon in a public statement. 

Naresh Asija, the Vice President of Nokia says that Airtel's 5G trial in 700 MHz band will allow companies to provide cost-effective broadband services in remote areas where it is difficult to set up a decent network infrastructure. "Nokia is at the forefront in the development of the global 5G ecosystem, and we look forward to supporting Airtel on its 5G journey," adds Asija. 

With inputs from PTI