‘India a significant player in shaping 6G standards’
head of product line 5G RAN, Ericsson, tells Subhayan Chakraborty in New Delhi that the first 6G systems are expected to go live around 2030. She adds fixed wireless access is paving the way for new revenue streams and monetisation in 5G for communication service partners in India. Edited excerpts.
How fast is 6G research accelerating globally in India?
We are still in the early stages of 5G and the new use cases on 5G for consumers and enterprises are coming to life in different parts of the globe. However, from a technology standpoint, the next step is 5G Advanced, currently being developed by 3GPP, the global forum for setting telecom standards. 5G Advanced aims to enhance network performance and add support for new applications and use cases.
5G infrastructure will be foundational to build 6G technology, which will introduce a new array of solutions. Around 2030 is a reasonable time frame to expect the very first 6G live network. With the 6G Bharat vision, India has positioned itself as a significant player in shaping 6G technology standards.
Ericsson has already set up dedicated 6G research teams in
India and embarked upon forming strategic collaborations with academic institutions. This includes IIT Madras Centre for Responsible AI (CERAI) for IIT Kharagpur for joint research in novel AI and distributed computing technology towards 6G. We are collaborating with the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) for research around Cyberphysical Systems (CPS) to drive multiple research activities toward CPS realisation in the age of AI and 6G.
How will dynamic spectrum sharing play a part in this?
Dynamic spectrum sharing is a crucial concept in optimising the utilisation of frequency bands, especially in the context of 5G and the future 6G networks. Spectrum sharing typically involves the sharing of Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) spectrum, particularly in lower bands like sub-3ghz, which include frequencies such as 1800MHZ, 1900 MHZ, and 800MHZ spectrum bands.
As we look ahead to 6G, we foresee dynamic spectrum sharing as a foundational element. The idea is to efficiently use existing spectrum resources by dynamically allocating frequencies based on demand and usage patterns. This approach is expected to play a crucial role in deploying new technologies with limited resources, showcasing its effectiveness in the early
What is Ericsson's strategy on the Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN)?
We're leading the shift to open, programmable, cloud-native networks that deliver better performance, security, and energy efficiency at a lower total cost of ownership, creating more value for our customers and the industry. We are driving the industry in all three areas of Open RAN architectures: Cloudification, Open interfaces, and Open management.
We offer a commercially ready Cloud RAN portfolio, future-proof radio lineup, and an Intelligent Automation Platform that gives service providers flexibility in network architecture for Open RAN and Cloudification. More than a million Ericsson radios in the field today are hardware-ready for the next generation of open front haul technology.
When can we anticipate an increase in the implementation of O-RAN in India, or the broader Asian region?
Currently, the primary focus is on establishing a robust 5G network by incorporating both lowband and midbands. India ranks fifth globally in overall network performance, surpassing Japan, and Korea, despite the very dense networks that we have in India. India’s ambitions for network performance go even higher.
The emphasis now, as observed through interactions with CSPS, is on building new revenue streams and monetisation. The initial success will be seen in the fixed wireless access (FWA) use cases, which are expected to scale further this year. Discussions are underway for exploring other use cases.