Do you know what is the real challenge for rolling out 5G in India? It is not about the availability of technology, devices, or spectrum. It is something totally different. The 5G technology is now mature and becoming more empowering than ever before. The devices are already getting seeded in the market, and their intensity will increases as 5G networks get deployed. Spectrum is also available in abundance, in all three band kinds — Sub GHz (less than 1GHz, like 600, 700 MHz), Mid Band (3.5 GHz), and Millimeter Wave (24/28 GHz). If the issue isn’t about these three, then what is the issue? The real issue is about the affordability of the Sub GHz spectrum (600 & 700 MHz bands). But why do we need an affordable Sub GHz spectrum to roll out 5G in India? Isn’t the affordability of 3.5 GHz and Millimeter Wave not enough? No. Let me explain the reasons.
Why is Sub GHz Spectrum Critical?
5G can be deployed using two approaches. a) Non-Standalone; b) Standalone. In the former approach, the 5G layer running on 3.5 GHz & Millimeter Wave piggybacks on the existing 4G networks and integrates itself with it. In other words, the consumers see the service as a combination of 4G and 5G integrated into their handset. He/She falls back on the 4G network when using voice, and at times when the 5G network is unavailable (Note — 3.5 GHz and Millimeter Waves have much poorer coverage compared to 4G spectrum in lower spectrum bands). This layered approach prevents the operators from offering many advanced 5G enterprise services, like network slicing and 5G voice. Due to this reason, most of the leading operators of major countries of the world are migrating to the latter approach — Standalone. In this approach, 5G gets deployed as an independent vertical which no direct linkage with the existing 4G network. And since it is impossible to create a standalone network by only using mid-band (3.5 GHz), and Millimeter Wave (26 & 28 GHz), we need the Sub-GHz spectrum (600, 700, 800 & 900 MHz) to drive network quality/coverage and to enable 5G voice.
