π Topic 01 of 6 Β· Chapter 05 Β· IT & Cybersecurity
Internet & 5G Technology in India
1G to 5G evolution, India’s 5G rollout, BharatNet, broadband β complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
π‘ Evolution of Mobile Technology
| Generation | Speed | Key Feature | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1G | 2.4 kbps | Analog voice calls only; no data | 1980s |
| 2G | 64 kbps | Digital voice + SMS; basic data | 1990s |
| 3G | 2 Mbps | Mobile internet, video calls, mobile browsing | 2000s |
| 4G/LTE | 100 Mbps | High-speed internet, HD video streaming, mobile apps | 2010s |
| 5G | 1β10 Gbps | Ultra-fast, ultra-low latency (1ms), massive IoT, autonomous vehicles | 2020s |
π‘ 5G Technology β Key Features
- Speed: 1β10 Gbps (10-100Γ faster than 4G)
- Latency: ~1 millisecond (vs 30-50ms for 4G) β near real-time response
- Capacity: Can connect 1 million devices per sq km (vs 100,000 for 4G)
- Applications: Autonomous vehicles, smart cities, telemedicine, Industry 4.0, AR/VR
- Frequency bands: Sub-6 GHz (wider coverage) + mmWave (ultra-high speed, short range)
π‘ India’s 5G Rollout
- India launched 5G services on October 1, 2022 (PM Modi at IMC 2022)
- Telecom operators: Jio (5G SA β Standalone Architecture) and Airtel (5G NSA β Non-Standalone)
- India used its own 5G spectrum bands (700 MHz, 3.5 GHz, 26 GHz)
- India is one of the fastest 5G rollout countries globally
- 5G coverage in 700+ cities by 2024
π‘ BharatNet β Rural Broadband
- Aims to provide optical fibre broadband to all 2.5 lakh gram panchayats
- Implemented by BBNL (Bharat Broadband Network Limited)
- Provides 100 Mbps broadband to rural areas
- Part of Digital India initiative
- Phase I: 1 lakh gram panchayats connected; Phase II: remaining panchayats
π Key Exam Points:
β’ India launched 5G = October 1, 2022 = IMC 2022
β’ 5G speed = 1β10 Gbps; latency = 1ms
β’ India = 2nd largest internet user base in world (after China)
β’ BharatNet = optical fibre to all gram panchayats = BBNL
β’ India’s telecom = 2nd largest network in world (~1.2 billion subscribers)
β’ India launched 5G = October 1, 2022 = IMC 2022
β’ 5G speed = 1β10 Gbps; latency = 1ms
β’ India = 2nd largest internet user base in world (after China)
β’ BharatNet = optical fibre to all gram panchayats = BBNL
β’ India’s telecom = 2nd largest network in world (~1.2 billion subscribers)