Government claims, 5G network reached 773 districts of the country

The government made a huge claim regarding 5G. It said that 4.69 lakh 5G base transceiver stations (BTS) have been installed across the country until 28 February 2025. Information regarding this installation by the telecom service providers (TSPs) was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Chandra Shekhar Pemmasani in the written response to the Lok Sabha. It was told by him that 773 districts in the country have got the 5G service. There are around 793 districts in the country.

Telecom companies have added 5G services across the country and have exceeded the minimum roll-out obligations laid down in the notification for spectrum auction. The improvement of mobile services beyond the commitments depends on business and technical calculations, the minister added.

Government initiatives for expansion of 5G services:

1. Spectrum auction for 5G mobile services.
2. Reforms in Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), Bank Guarantee (BG), and interest rates.
3. Removal of Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) in spectrum auctions of 2022 and beyond.
4. Simplifying the process of SACFA (Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations) clearance.
5. Faster approval process for telecom infrastructure by implementing PM Gatishakti Sanchar Portal and RoW (Right of Way) rules.
6. Implementing a time-bound process for permission to use street furniture for small cells and telecom lines.

Talking about mobile subscribers and tele-density, by December 2024, the number of mobile subscribers in India had reached 1,189.92 million. During this period, urban tele-density was 131.50%, rural tele-density was recorded at 58.22%. The total number of wireless subscribers was 1,150.66 million.