Reliance Jio admits using unlicensed spectrum for 5G FWA to cut costs
08 May 2025
Reliance Jio has acknowledged that it has been utilizing unlicensed spectrum, as well as licensed 5G spectrum, to connect some customers through its 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) services. The company claims this approach helps reduce deployment costs, making it easier to expand its network rapidly.
During a post-earnings call for Reliance Industries, Anshuman Thakur, Jio Infocomm’s head of strategy, revealed that the company has been deploying unlicensed band radio (UBR) equipment for certain FWA deployments. Unlicensed spectrum includes bands such as 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz, commonly used for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The latest 3GPP standards — Release 16 and Release 17 — have introduced specifications for 5G New Radio-Unlicensed (NR-U), allowing 5G networks to operate in unlicensed bands below 7 GHz and in millimeter-wave bands from 57 GHz to 71 GHz, respectively.
Find out more BSNL partners with ACES India for Kanpur Metro's underground network
07 May 2025
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has joined forces with ACES India to deliver seamless voice and data connectivity throughout the deep underground stations and tunnels of the Kanpur Metro. Kanpur is the second largest city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
This collaboration is set to ensure that passengers traveling within the underground sections of the Kanpur Metro will experience uninterrupted mobile network coverage.
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Smartcom expands mission-critical push-to-talk services to Indonesia
06 May 2025
Smartcom, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) based in Singapore, has announced its strategic expansion into Indonesia, bringing its mission-critical push-to-talk (PTT) solutions to a significantly larger market.
Since 2015, Smartcom has collaborated with TASSTA, a global leader in mission-critical communication solutions headquartered in Germany, and operator Singtel to provide reliable PTT communication coverage within Singapore. The company acknowledges that expanding into a market as large and diverse as Indonesia presents a new set of challenges and opportunities.
Find out more Vodafone Idea expands 5G to Chandigarh and Patna
02 May 2025
India’s Vodafone Idea has announced the expansion of its 5G network to the metropolitan regions of Chandigarh in Punjab and Patna in Bihar, just a month after launching the service in Mumbai. This marks a significant step in the telco’s bid to strengthen its presence in the country's rapidly evolving 5G landscape.
In Chandigarh, Vodafone Idea's 5G coverage now includes key cities such as Mohali, Kharar, and Zirakpur. The company has introduced initial service packages starting at INR299 (approximately US$3.50), matching the introductory rates in Mumbai. The telco also revealed plans to continue extending 5G coverage across the rest of Punjab in the coming weeks.
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