‘5G dawn of new era for Indian telephony’

As India prepares to migrate into the 5G era, Ashwini Vaishnaw — the telecom minister who gets credit for executing the most successful spectrum auctions the country has ever seen — has his task cut out. “Improve the quality of services, and ensure a smooth and hassle free launch of the high-speed networks, but at an affordable price for the consumers. ” As the exchequer is assured of getting a record Rs 1. 5 lakh crore from the auctions, TOI speaks to Vaishnaw on how he sees the telecom sector progressing from here. Excerpts:
Did the resounding success surprise you?
Thisresult is surely much better than what had been anticipated by everybody, including some of the stakeholders and investors. Many were expecting the auctions to fetch anywhere between Rs 80,000 crore and Rs 90,000 crore.