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India aims to double its 5G user base from 550 million to one billion by 2030, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday, adding that the country, which was behind the world in 4G, has resolved to lead the world in 6G. Speaking at the inauguration of the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026, Scindia said 5G in India has become the fastest-adopted 5G technology in the world. "Today we have 550 million users on 5G...But we will not rest here. By 2030 our target is to take that number from 550 million to a billion customers on 5G," he said. On 6G, Scindia said the Bharat 6G Alliance, which has 90 institutions involved with it, has established 7,700 patents, of which 4,400 are international. "We were behind the world in 4G. We marched with the world on 5G. But it is our resolve that we will lead the world on 6G," he said.
BRICS member countries can build institutional capacity together and jointly advocate for standards in international telecom and ICT bodies that are fair and genuinely represent everyone, Minister of State for Telecom Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Thursday. While speaking at BRICS ICT Track Thematic Panel Discussion on "Sustainable and Resilient Digital and ICT Ecosystems: Digital Public Infrastructure for Impact Global South Insights on Powering Public Services and Economic Growth", the minister said India is open to sharing of modular, open source frameworks for digital public infrastructure which member states should be able to adapt without rebuilding from the beginning, and without prohibitive licensing costs. Pemmasani called for partnership among BRICS member countries for building capabilities. "Let us train our workforce together, and build institutional capacity together. And let us advocate together for standards in international telecom and ICT bodies that are fair,
The Department of Telecom has begun the process of disbanding the Digital Communication Commission, formerly known as the Telecom Commission, the apex inter-ministerial body formed to make decisions on policy matters and subjects with significant financial implications. The body comprises the Telecom Secretary as its Chairman, four full-time members, who are ex-officio Secretaries to the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications and four part-time members who are the secretaries to the Government of India in the concerned Departments. "The process for seeking cabinet nod to dissolve the Digital Communication Commission has started," an official source told PTI. Among the ex-officio secretaries, the post of member (technology) and member (services) are lying vacant and the government has no plans to fill them. Member (Finance) Manish Sinha will superannuate in February 2027, the source said. Formed in 1989, the Telecom Commission was renamed as Digital Communicati
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has announced a series of customer-centric initiatives and special offerings, including expansion of its indigenous 4G network and additional validity for prepaid subscribers, on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has ordered over 602 additional 4G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, in addition to 2,247 sites already planned for deployment -- 1,843 in J&K and 404 in Ladakh. Addressing a press conference here, Chief General Manager Telecom, J&K Circle, Kush Kumar said, "BSNL remained committed to providing reliable, secure and affordable telecom services, particularly in geographically challenging areas, while advancing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and digital India". "BSNL has ordered over 602 additional 4G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, in addition to 2,247 sites planned earlier. Of these, 1,757 4G BTS in J&K and 343 in Ladakh have