UPSC Current affairs - Spectrum bids cross ₹1.5-lakh cr. mark on sixth day of 5G auction

Spectrum bids cross ₹1.5-lakh cr. mark on sixth day of 5G auction

For Prelims

What is 5G?

5th generation mobile network
  • It aims at creating a new kind of network that is designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices.
  • The speed of 5G can be said to as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), while the maximum speed of 4G is said to be around 1Gbps.

For Mains

Different Bands of 5G:
  • 5G mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum — all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.
  • Low Band Spectrum: In terms of coverage and speed of Internet and data exchange, the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
  • This means that telecom companies can use and install it for general cell phone users who do not have demand for greater speed of transmission.
  • However, the low band spectrum cannot be considered as optimal for specified needs of the industry.
  • Mid Band Spectrum: It offers higher speeds, but has limitations in terms of area covered and penetration of signals.
  • This band may be used by industries and specialised factory units for building captive networks that can be moulded into the needs of that particular industry.
  • High Band Spectrum: It offers the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.
  • The High Band can be considered as a prerequisite for the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution that is about to happen.

Source The Hindu