Private sector must end differences to create 5G ecosystem, says Airtel CEO

NEW DELHI: India’s private telecom operators, equipment and device makers, and information technology (IT) firms must set aside their differences to create an ecosystem for 5G technology, Bharti Airtel Ltd chief executive Gopal Vittal said on Tuesday.

“We have to set aside our differences and be part of one. The private sector – telcos, equipment players, device players, manufacturing companies, IT companies – everyone can benefit as growth of technology makes us all the more productive. So, we should collectively sign on to create a 5G ecosystem,” Vittal said at the India Mobile Congress (IMC).

He also stressed on the need for enabling policies that will allow easy and affordable access to technology, lay out fiber, and make spectrum cheaper to build networks. With this, Vittal reiterated the need for affordable spectrum to roll out the fifth-generation wireless service.