New Delhi: India’s telecom sector witnessed groundbreaking advancements in 2024, with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) achieving several milestones, including the installation of 4.62 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and an internet subscriber base touching 96.96 crore by June.
India has witnessed the world’s fastest 5G rollout and according to government data the installed BTS installed has covered over 99% of districts. Internet subscribers crossed the 95 crore mark by June 2024, scoring a staggering 285% growth since 2014. Similarly, broadband connections also rose exponentially to 94.92 crore in August, reflecting a 1,452% increase over the same period.
India now ranks among the top 50 countries in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) and holds Tier 1 status in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, underscoring the nation’s growing prominence in global digital transformation and security practices.
Expanding Digital Connectivity
The telecom subscriber base grew to 1,188.70 million by October 2024, including 1,151.18 million mobile connections. Tele-density increased from 75.23% in 2014 to 84.49%, with rural connectivity expanding by 39.58%, far surpassing urban growth.
Over 2.14 lakh Gram Panchayats were connected through 6.92 lakh km of optical fiber cable (OFC) under the BharatNet initiative, enabling high-speed broadband access and supporting 1.39 lakh terabytes (TB) of data usage in October 2024 alone.
The Kochi-Lakshadweep Submarine Cable Project, commissioned in January 2024, enabled 5G and FTTH services across the Lakshadweep Islands, while similar efforts in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ensured 205 Gbps bandwidth utilization.
Affordability and Data Consumption
India’s wireless data consumption is among the highest globally, with 21.30 GB per subscriber per month. The cost of 1 GB of mobile data dropped to $0.16, significantly lower than the global average of $2.59. This accessibility has contributed to a broader digital footprint across the nation.
5G Rollout and Innovation
The government’s initiatives resulted in 5G services across all states and union territories, covering 779 districts by October 2024. The 5G Hackathon, launched in August, encouraged innovation in areas such as AI-driven networks, drone technologies, and non-terrestrial communications, with 15 winning teams showcasing solutions at the India Mobile Congress 2024.
Bharat 6G Vision
In March 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the “Bharat 6G Vision” document, outlining India’s aspiration to become a global leader in the design, development, and deployment of 6G technology by 2030. The vision emphasizes affordability, sustainability, and universal accessibility as its core principles.
India’s Bharat 6G Vision aims to position the country as a global leader in 6G technologies, targeting 10% of global 6G patents and fostering research through 470 ecosystem proposals. Collaborations with international organizations, such as the NextG Alliance and 6G Brazil, reinforce India’s leadership ambitions.
This year, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia reaffirmed, saying: “We followed the global pace with 4G, kept step with it in 5G, but we will take the lead in 6G.”
Regulatory and Citizen-Centric Reforms
- Telecommunication Act, 2023
Replacing century-old colonial laws, the Telecommunication Act, 2023, introduced frameworks for spectrum assignment, spectrum sharing, and innovation. The Act streamlined the Right of Way (RoW) process, reducing approval times from 448 days in 2019 to 60 days in 2024, with 20% of applications disposed of within 15 days.
- Sanchar Saathi Portal and Fraud Prevention
The Sanchar Saathi Portal attracted 9 crore visitors by December 2024, facilitating fraud prevention through services like mobile connection verification and reporting lost or stolen devices. DoT disconnected 2.67 crore fraudulent connections, blacklisted 70,895 SIM agents, and registered 365 FIRs to combat misuse.
DoT also introduced the International Incoming Spoofed Calls Prevention System, which identified and blocked 1.35 crore spoofed calls within 24 hours of launch in October 2024.
Mobile and Broadband Infrastructure
India now has 29.48 lakh BTS sites and 8.13 lakh mobile towers as of November 2024. Initiatives under the Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan (CTDP) provided seamless connectivity in remote areas, including the Northeast and aspirational districts. More than 7,332 sites were commissioned, covering 9,366 villages under the Saturation of 4G project, with an additional 6,279 villages being upgraded from 2G/3G to 4G.
Additionally, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) introduced India’s first-ever WiFi roaming village in Mudagere, Channapatna taluk, Ramanagara district, Karnataka.
Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF)
The TTDF, aligned with the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), approved 132 proposals worth Rs 552 crore for rural-specific technologies, including 5G and 6G innovations.
Production and Financial Growth
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for telecom manufacturing registered Rs 68,790 crore in sales, with exports reaching Rs 13,007 crore. Employment in the sector grew to 25,359 jobs, driven by cumulative investments of Rs 4,800 crore.
COAI’s Insights and Challenges
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) highlighted key growth metrics, including a 5G user base of 125 million, projected to reach 350 million by 2026, and 3 million Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) connections within a year. However, challenges persist, including:
- Rs 10,000 crore in network strain costs due to Large Traffic Generators (LTGs).
- Losses of Rs 800 crore annually from unregulated OTT platforms.
- Over 17,000 radio remote units (RRUs) stolen in 2024, causing Rs 800 crore in losses.
- Spectrum allocation for the 6 GHz band, crucial for 5G, remains unresolved
COAI emphasized the need for regulatory parity between telecom operators and OTT platforms, urging the government to enforce traceability and privacy rules.
India’s telecom sector concluded 2024 as a global trailblazer, combining rapid technological adoption with inclusive growth. With continued investments, innovative policies, and strategic international collaborations, the nation is poised to lead the world in 5G and 6G advancements, paving the way for a connected and secure digital future.
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