According to Business Line, the report said that the Indian operators have the potential to add additional revenues of $13 billion if they expand their role from being connectivity and infrastructure providers to becoming service enablers and service creators. The company said in an statement that operator revenues from traditional services are likely to grow from $37 billion to $63 billion in India by 2026 due to population growth, increased penetration and high GDP growth. 5G and 4G will be instrumental for the same. However, 5G-enabled industry revenue potential for operators can potentially add some incremental 20 per cent (or about $13 billion) on top of the $63 billion.
Paolo Colella, Head of Region India, Ericsson, said that as 5G becomes increasingly integral to industrial businesses and digitalisation, the company sees a clear growth in the opportunity for new 5G-enabled revenues. To capture this value, investments in networks, business development, go-to-market models and organisational adaptation is required.
The company is now in talks with the Indian telcom operators to pilot its 5G-ready solutions on their 4G networks to enable cost-efficient migration.
The report believes the largest opportunity is expected to be seen in sectors such as manufacturing, energy and utilities besides public safety and health sectors.
He said the company has recently introduced its 5G platform. “Ericsson has also announced 5G plug-ins – software-driven innovations that bring essential 5G technology concepts to today’s cellular networks,” he added. The company also announced the launch of several 5G-ready Radio Solutions for the Indian market.
The company has recently inked an MoU with IIT-Delhi and will set up a centre of excellence with a 5G test bed and incubation centre and use this facility to develop the 5G ecosystem.
The company said the first series of tests under this programme are slated to begin in the second half of this year.
The company said the programme, which will put India at par with developed countries, will focus on delivering research, innovation and industrial pilots that use next-generation 5G networks as an enabler.
