Top Samsung network executives visit India to drive 5G talks with telcos: Report

Korean telecom gear maker Samsung Electronics has started making efforts to grow its network equipment business in India. The Korea Times on Friday reported that Jeon Kyung-hoon, vice president of Samsung Electronics’ network business division, and other key executives have recently visited India to carry out discussions with Indian telecom operators, including Reliance Jio Infocomm, about the supply of 5G network equipment.

The talks come with the Indian government yet to take a final view on whether Huawei will be allowed to participate in 5G trials, and further in 5G commercial deployments.

ET last week reported that Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel initiated separate exploratory talks with Samsung for supplying equipment for their respective 4G and futuristic 5G networks even as uncertainty looms over the future of Huawei in India, after a US ban on the Chinese vendor.

A Source familiar with the matter had told ET that Samsung was already getting “feelers” from telcos in India for both 4G and 5G technologies. “There are feelers on 5G. But, there are many steps required, including trials in India since commercial deployment has some time to start in the country. Even on 4G, Samsung is getting feelers from the two telcos”.

Korea Times further reported that the Indian market is expected to give Samsung a big opportunity to improve its export performance.