The time for the rollout of 5G networks in India is not that far anymore. The spectrum auctions can take place in a few months, and as per Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon, the 5G networks can go live within two-quarters of the auction. The top telecom operator in India, Reliance Jio, is planning to go with Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) route with its 5G networks. There are many benefits of going with the O-RAN route and building your own infrastructure. But according to Ookla’s co-founder and CEO, Doug Suttles, O-RAN also poses quite a few challenges. Suttles said that the cost of building such a network would be an advantage over time, but he also mentioned that it is a “risky way” to go since not a lot of such networks are present throughout the world. Suttles was basically saying that something that has not been done before a lot might have unexpected challenges, and it may take some time for Jio to figure it out.
O-RAN Will be the Future Says Suttles
According to a Financial Express report, Suttles said that O-RAN would be the future of the wireless world. Ookla CEO said that this is just Reliance Jio’s way of pushing the cutting-edge technology earlier so that the networks can be managed with the help of the cloud and the software in hopes of full automation. Suttles believe that O-RAN will be much more affordable in the future; however, it will also be a very challenging way to roll out 5G networks right now because there’s not much experience for the world in O-RAN. The 5G spectrum auctions are expected to happen in the first quarter of CY22. But it may be delayed depending on when the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) might come out with the new price recommendations for the spectrum in different bands.
