5G trials to start in Jan-Mar quarter this fiscal: DoT official

The 5G trials are expected to begin in the last quarter of the current fiscal, and the government has neither approved nor rejected any applicant so far, a senior telecom department official said on Tuesday.

Asked if the government has taken a decision on Huawei's participation, the official said that 12 applications have been received for 5G trials and that it has not rejected or approved any proposal so far.

"The 5G trials will start in the last quarter of the current financial year," the official said.

Another senior government functionary said that any proposal on 5G must address twin considerations - first adoption of new technology, and imperatives of national security. The official said that 5G should not be linked to general spectrum auctions - which is expected to take place in March-April next year.

The technology for 5G is yet to evolve, and major global players are themselves in the process of evaluating the ecosystem and use cases for 5G. It has phenomenal potential of speed and futuristic applications, the official added.

To another question on implication of the Supreme Court's adjusted gross revenue (AGR) verdict on non telecom companies, the official said that certain PSUs like DMRC, Powergrid and Railtel have given their representation to the telecom department, which is being examined. These PSUs have approached the government saying that additional statutory dues should not be levied on them.