India's Telecom Revolution: AI and 6G on the Horizon

India's telecom sector, boasting a 1.2 billion subscriber base, is moving towards AI and leading 6G innovations. The industry faces challenges with large traffic generators and unregulated OTT platforms despite impressive advancements like over 460,000 5G sites and government-backed research initiatives for 6G development.

India's telecom industry, with a subscriber base of 1.2 billion, is making significant strides in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 6G development. As of October 2024, average monthly wireless data usage has surged to 21.30 GB per user, according to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI).

The sector's rapid growth is evident in the deployment of over 460,592 5G Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites, pushing 5G user numbers beyond 125 million, with estimates predicting a rise to 350 million by 2026. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), a vital 5G use case, has also seen swift adoption, reaching nearly 3 million connections in just one year.

Despite these achievements, the sector faces challenges from large traffic generators (LTGs) straining networks, as COAI reports Rs 10,000 crore investments from Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in 2023 alone. Unregulated OTT communication platforms further complicate the landscape, demanding enforceable rules for fairness.

The government's Bharat 6G Vision aims to capture 10% of global 6G patents, supporting research with targeted funding. Industry hurdles such as infrastructure constraints, spectrum interference, and potentially impractical QoS norms persist, even as government initiatives have lessened financial pressures by waiving certain fees and licenses.

COAI advocates for transparent spectrum auctions to incorporate D2M, while rejecting standalone broadcasting networks. Resolving issues like unauthorized Wi-Fi 6E routers and imposing responsibility on OTTs for UCC will be crucial for sustained progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)