For the next six months, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is offering free use of the Indigenous 5G Test Bed to government-recognized startups and MSMEs. The decision has been taken with an aim of boosting the 5G ecosystem in India and achieving the objectives of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. All other stakeholders can utilize the facility at a very nominal rate.
The Department of Telecommunications has urged all parties involved in the development and deployment of 5G technology, including industry, academia, service providers, government bodies, and equipment manufacturers, to take advantage of the 5G testbed facilities and expertise, and to test and facilitate the rapid deployment of their products.
The Department of Telecommunications has approved a financial grant for the multi-institute collaborative project to establish an Indigenous 5G Test Bed in India in March of 2018 at a cost of INR 224 crore, keeping in mind the specific requirements of India and its desire to lead in 5G deployment.