US and India to discuss 5G during Donald Trump’s visit

5G, which is the next generation wireless technology set to catapult data speeds, will be on the agenda for discussion in bilateral meetings between the United States and India during President Donald Trump’s visit.

Ajit Pai, chairman of the US Federal Communciations Commission, will discuss 5G with his Indian counterparts, he said in a Twitter post late on Sunday.

Pai is visiting India along with the US delegation headed by Trump on February 24-25.

“We will be discussing issues of mutual interest like 5G and bridging the digital divide and we will aim to deepen the friendship between the world’s oldest democracy and its largest,” Pai said in his tweet.

5G is the next generation of wireless technology and will boost data speeds and propel the Internet of Things, with the potential to bring radical changes in agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and education.

Last month, India’s department of telecommunications (DoT) also approved the prices for the spectrum auction scheduled to be held by April.

Of the 8,300 megahertz (MHz) of airwaves the government plans to offer, 6,050MHz have been allocated for 5G. The band allocation for 5G of 3,300-3,600MHz has been priced at ₹492 crore per megahertz.

On 31 December, the Indian government had also initiated the process for deploying 5G in India and met operators and vendors to discuss the broad road map for the trials expected in January-March.

The last date to submit applications for the trials was 15 January. The Indian government is assessing the applications and allocate the trial spectrum to its licensees, or telecom service providers.

To be sure, the US has throughout the last one year pressed its allies not to use China’s gear maker Huwaei’s 5G equipment alleging that it could be used by China to spy on other countries. Huawei has repeatedly denied the allegation.

Australia and Japan have barred Huawei, while Canada and New Zealand are likely to follow suit. Many countries in Europe are yet to take a decision, while Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have welcomed Huawei.

In India, Huawei is teaming up with Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea for 5G trials.