The 5G spectrum auctions in India officially began this Tuesday, July 26, 2022. The big Indian telecom companies Reliance Jio, Airtel, Idea-Vodafone, and the newcomer Adani Data Networks are all actively competing in the ongoing 5G auction, which is now underway. India’s minister of electronics and information technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reported that so far, bids of Rs 1.49 lakhs have been received. Let’s study about the 5G bands supported in India while spectrum allocation and bidding are ongoing. You can use this to determine if your 5G smartphone is compatible with the Indian 5G bands. Let’s start now on that note.
5G Bands in India: Explained (2022)
All of India’s supported 5G bands, including the low-band, mid-band, and top-tier mmWave frequencies, have been added in this article. The list of 5G bands that are supported is also available below in tabular form.
What 5G Bands are Supported in India?
India is currently holding the 5G auction, which will go through August 14, 2022. However, certain important details about 5G bands are already available to the general public. These 5G frequency bands are up for sale, according to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT): 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 3,300 MHz, 3,500 MHz, and 26 GHz.
As you can see, there are radio bands accessible in every category, including low-band, mid-band, and high-band (mmWave). Visit the explainer in our linked article to learn more about the different sorts of 5G bands (sub-6GHz vs. mmWave).
The two 5G frequency bands that telecom juggernauts are most interested in are the low-band 700MHz (n28) and the mid-band 3500MHz (n78). A prominent 5G frequency range for delivering sub-6GHz 5G services to the general public is the n78 (3300-3800MHz) spectrum. It belongs to the mid-band group and has a theoretical maximum speed of 1Gbps. Yes, it’s slower than mmWave 5G, but it’s also more affordable, has a wider range, and is available everywhere.
Not to mention, all 5G phones, including those from Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, and others, support the n78 5G band. So indeed, India supports the n78 5G band. The n78 5G band is supported by even the original OnePlus Nord, which only supports one 5G band. Yes, you will be able to take use of 5G services when they become available in India. According to some sources, Jio and Airtel have both purchased a sizeable portion of the 3.5GHz airwaves.
In addition, telcos are fiercely vying for the 700 MHz low-band frequency, which is said to enable 5G in both distant and populated locations. The 5G coverage area can be greatly expanded because to the 700MHz frequency band’s ability to easily pass through structures like walls. It is also far less expensive and twice as effective as 900MHz, which is the frequency spectrum typically employed in rural regions to increase coverage.
Additionally, the 700 MHz can be used to supply full freestanding 5G (SA 5G), however doing so will necessitate a complete network equipment update from the telecom companies. However, practically all telecom providers and smartphones in India will support the n28 frequency, another 5G channel.
The ultra-fast mmWave 5G channel, specifically the n258 band, commonly known as the 26GHz (24.25 27.5 GHz) frequency range, is of particular interest to Adani Data Networks and Jio. This is a premium 5G band with ultra-low latency and up to 10Gbps promised speeds.
You might be asking at this point what Adani’s 5G aspirations entail. According to analysts, Adani Data Networks may provide full 5G services to businesses by constructing a lightning-fast indoor network. In addition, the mid-band 5G segment is buzzing about the n41 (2.5GHz), n77 (3300 4200MHz), and n79 (4400 5000MHz) 5G bands. We anticipate that more sub-6GHz 5G bands will be auctioned in the days ahead as the 5G auction only begun two days ago. As soon as the 5G auction concludes, we will update this page with any new information. Stay tuned for additional updates on this front.
List of Supported 5G Bands in India (August 2022)
Here is a list of every 5G band that is supported in India. It’s not an exhaustive list, but we’ll keep adding to it as we learn more about the 5G spectrum bidding.
| Frequency | 5G bands |
|---|---|
| 600MHz | n71 |
| 700MHz | n28 |
| 800MHz | n5 |
| 900MHz | n8 |
| 1800MHz | n3 |
| 2100MHz | n1 |
| 2300MHz | n40 |
| 2500MHz | n41 |
| 3300 3800MHz | n78 |
| 3300 4200MHz | n77 |
| 4400 5000MHz | n79 |
| 26GHz (24.25 – 27.5 GHz) | n258 |
5G Network Release Timeline in India
After the first day of the 5G spectrum auction in India, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the bidding of the 5G spectrum will be completed by August 14. That means it s likely that Prime Minister Modi will announce the initial launch of 5G services on August 15, in line with recent speculations.
After that, 5G services will be made available to customers for pilot testing perhaps in September or October of this year. In addition, 13 Indian cities—including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune—will first provide 5G services.
So certainly, one of the telcos—Airtel, Reliance Jio, or Vodafone Idea (Vi)—will begin providing sub-6GHz 5G services to customers in Indian cities by the end of October. Vaishnaw stated at the Viva Technology 2022 event that the entire implementation of 5G services in India will take some time and that the network would be ready to deploy by March 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When will the India 5G auction end?
The Indian 5G spectrum auction for 2022 will run through August 14. The spectrums will then be given to telecom companies for testing and the actual rollout.
In India, when will 5G be available?
Initial testing of 5G services will take place in India in September or October, according to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The entire rollout of 5G services, however, is anticipated to start as early as March 2023.
What 5G bands are supported in India?
The n78, n77, n28, and n41 5G bands are among of those that are supported in India. Learn about the country’s suitable 5G frequencies and bands by reading our article for a comprehensive list.
Is India going to get mmWave 5G?
Yes, the 26GHz (n258) frequency band, which delivers unmatched speed and virtually no latency, is up for auction by the Indian government. Both Jio and Adani Data Networks have expressed a strong desire to purchase the premium spectrum.
What 5G bands should I search for in an Indian smartphone?
If you own a cheap phone, make sure it is compatible with the 5G bands N78, N77, N41, and N28. This ought to provide India with a positive 5G network experience. Support for the mmWave n258 5G frequency would be fantastic for flagship smartphones. Nevertheless, be aware that Apple and Samsung do not presently support the mmWave 5G spectrum on their top devices in India. Perhaps things will alter after the launch of 5G.
5G Bands of Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea & Adani in India
You now have all the information you require regarding the supported 5G frequency bands in India. As we already stated, the auction is already underway, and by mid-August, it will be clear how the spectrum will be allocated. Despite this, we have a general notion of the primary 5G bands that India will support, and it appears that mid-tier 5G bands will be introduced in various Indian cities later this year. That’s all we have to say, though. Visit the article we’ve linked to to discover more about 5G development in India. Also, let us know in the comments section below if you have any queries.