97% of cities, 80% population covered by 5G: Jyotiraditya Scindia

9,560 unconnected villages got signal in first 100 days of govt

India's 5G network has covered 97 per cent of cities and 80 per cent of the population, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Monday. 5G services were launched on October 2, 2022.

Addressing a press conference on the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) progress report on the first 100 days of the current government, Scindia said 7,258 mobile towers have been installed in the country during this period.

Consequently, mobile connectivity has been established in 9,560 unconnected villages. In its third term, the government has aimed to establish 27,648 towers, of which 27 per cent have been connected in the first 100 days.

The minister said the 36,721 villages in India that remain without telecom and mobile internet services will be connected by mid-2025, ensuring 100 per cent coverage.

Regarding the recent Supreme Court judgement on the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues, Scindia said the government is still going through the process of examining it and seeing what the repercussions would be.

He stressed that India is one of the few countries with four strong telecom operators and that the health of the sector is robust.