‘To be a digital sovereign power, we need 5G’

The telecom industry is on the cusp of another revolution, and this time 5G is the buzzword. The industry, which is reeling under a massive ₹4-lakh-crore debt, has placed its bets on mobile data explosion for its revival. In an interaction with BusinessLine, TV Ramachandran, President of Broadband India Forum (BIF) – a think-tank working for the development of broadband ecosystem – throws light on India’s 5G readiness. Ramachandran was the Chief Executive Officer of one of the first cellular ventures in India – Sterling Cellular (Essar Cellphone) – and also the first Chairman of the India Interest Group of GSM MoU Association. TV, as he is popularly known, had set up industry body Cellular Operators’ Association of India and led it for 12 years. Excerpts:

Why is there is a hype around 5G, and what can it offer that 4G couldn’t?