5G in India: How fast will it be, what happens to 4G, SIM cards and other key questions answered – Times of India

After much anticipation, it is expected that 5G services will finally roll out in India. The two bigwigs — Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio — have made their intentions clear about rolling 5G services. There are quite a few questions that might be in people’s minds about the rollout of 5G and how it will affect their smartphones. We take a shot at answering some of those questions:
What is 5G?
Let’s start with the basic one. After 2G, 3G, and 4G, 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks — hence the name.
What does 5G mean for users in terms of experience?
Faster internet speed. Users will be able to download stuff quicker and get performance when multiple devices are connected to the same network.
Will the rollout of 5G mean the end of 4G?
No, not at all. 4G will be around for years to come as we have seen with 3G. Mobile service operators still — albeit in very few areas — offer 3G services. So 5G will not mean the end of 4G.
How fast is 5G compared to 4G?
It is quite fast. To put in terms of numbers, 4G speed — depending on areas and connectivity — can offer up to Mbps, while 5G services are expected to support speeds of up to 300 Mbps or more.
Will you need a new SIM to use 5G services?
Not at all, you will not need a new SIM for 5G. You can use your existing SIM card on a 5G-enabled phone.
Will you need a new phone to run 5G services
Yes, unless you recently purchased a 5G-enabled phone, a new phone will be required to run 5G services.
5G Spectrum: What it really means
Spectrum plays a key role in the type of 5G service that telecom service providers like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel will be able to give to their customers. For example, a high-band spectrum may give you extremely fast speeds but you will have to be in an excellent coverage area. On the other hand, low-band may give more coverage but the performance may not be significantly better than 4G.

What is the low-band, mind-band, high-band spectrum?
Any spectrum that is lower than 1Ghz can be considered low-spectrum. As Nokia explains it on its website, “In a 5G world, low-band spectrum will make it possible for operators to provide a wide-swath of coverage but it also means that the speed and latency of the 5G network will probably only be incrementally better than what is delivered with 4G networks.”
Spectrum in the 1 GHz – 6 GHz range is considered mid-band spectrum and it is considered ideal for 5G. In fact, The GSMA describes the spectrum in the 3.3 GHz to 3.8 GHz range as particularly appealing for many reasons. Perhaps a big reason why both Airtel and Jio bought most of its airwaves in this mid-band only.
Anything above 26 GHz on the spectrum chart is considered high-band spectrum. Bharti Airtel said that it has acquired a 19,800 MHz spectrum by securing a pan India footprint of 3.5 GHz and 26 GHz bands — covering mid-band and high-band range of spectrum.
What is the 700 Mhz band and why Jio forked crores on it?
The 700 Mhz band was coveted by Reliance Jio the most as it is more cost-effective and claims to offer better network connectivity. Keeping its aggressive pricing strategy, Jio has reportedly spent close to Rs 40,000 crore for the 700 Mhz as it may offer it at lower costs to the end user, considering it is known to be more cost-effective.
What about the 5G bands on your smartphone?
Most smartphones in India come with as many as 13 5G bands. However, for a phone to run 5G services only 3-4 bands are also good enough. Some of the most common 5G bands are n41, n77, and n78. Most mid-range phones offer the n78 band, so if you are looking for a new 5G phone, do check the bands it has to offer.
What phones support 5G in India?
Almost every major smartphone brand offers 5G-enabled phones in India. It is expected that a flurry of smartphones will be launched soon to cash in on the 5G services roll out, which will take place soon. Here is a list of popular brands’ phones series that are 5G-enabled in India:

Samsung: All Galaxy S-series phones (above S20 and FE models); a few A-series and M-series models.
Xiaomi: Redmi Note 11T, Redmi Note 11 Pro+, Mi 10 series, Redmi Note 10T, Xiaomi 12-series, and Xiaomi 11-series
Apple: iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series and iPhone SE (2022)
Oppo: Some A-series, F-series and K-series phones; Reno 6, 7 and 8 series
OnePlus: OnePlus 8-series, OnePlus 9-series, OnePlus 10-series; select Nord series
Realme: Realme 8, 8 Pro (5G) and 8s; Realme Narzo 30 and Narzo 50 (5G variants), Realme GT series, Realme GT2, Realme X7 series
Vivo: Vivo X-series phones; V23 series and V21 series
Will using 5G services impact your smartphone’s battery life?
Yes, users in several parts of the world where 5G has been rolled out have complained of this. Even Samsung says that some 5G users have noticed their phone’s battery drained faster than usual. However, this depends on many factors. “If you have many applications running in the background or if you are using applications which require more power such as some mobile games, your battery may drain faster than usual regardless of your connections,” explained Samsung.
When are 5G services expected to be rolled out in the country?
It is expected that some parts of the country may get 5G services sometime next month or in October. A broader rollout is expected to happen after March 2023.