Affordable 5G services to roll out in India by October 12: Govt
India Today
Earlier, the government had said that 5G connectivity would launch in the country by September 29.
Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that high-speed 5G services would be available in most parts of the country in two-three years, adding that the stable rollout of the network in major circles is expected by October 12. Earlier, the government had said that 5G connectivity would launch in the country by September 29. Airtel, on the other hand, had promised its availability this month.
News agency PTI, quoting the minister at a press conference, reports that India offers one of the most affordable mobile plans in the world, and the trend will continue with 5G services. "We expect an investment of around Rs 2.5-3 lakh crore to come into the industry. Rs 3 lakh crore is a big investment. This is also leading to good employment generation. Our estimate is 5G will reach almost all parts of the country in the next 2-3 years", the news agency reported quoting minister Vaishnaw.
DoT had earlier announced that the high-speed 5G internet would rollout in 13 major Indian cities of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jamnagar, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune.
At the latest press conference, the union minister further spoke about the new Right of Way (RoW) rules, which essentially clarify charges levied on laying cables, access to public poles, and more. The new rules offer relief to private firms when it comes to seeking approval for laying down the infrastructure. Minister Vaishnaw, "Earlier, it took 343 days for RoW approvals, which has now come down to 22 days. Last July, the average was even better, which was 16 days. This is a clear impact of reforms undertaken by the prime minister."
The government believes that the amended ROW will pave the way for companies to offer affordable 5G services in the country. Vaishnaw added that investments worth up to Rs 60,000 crore have already been made in the telecom sector related to 5G in India.
Currently, clarity from major telcos is awaited. As mentioned, Airtel said its 5G services would start rolling out this month, but it may extend the goal to next month. Jio had also hinted at the rollout soon, but more details are awaited. Vi (formerly Vodafone Idea) has not provided a date yet.
The Mumbai school controversy went viral after students were stopped from writing exams over haircut rules, triggering outrage among parents and on social media. The incident has raised concerns over strict school discipline and its impact on students' academic futures.
Oppo is gearing up to launch its next camera flagship — the Find X9 Ultra — in April. The device will support a teleconverter paired with Hasselblad optics.
Anthropic is testing a new "Phone Use" feature for Claude AI that could allow the assistant to make calls, send messages, and perform tasks on your smartphone while also controlling apps on your computer.
The Delhi government announced a major push for education in its 2026–27 Budget allocating Rs 19,148 to the sector. From infrastructure upgrades to student incentives, the plan aims to expand access and modernise learning.
Meta has hired the team behind the agentic AI startup Dreamer. The startup was founded by former Google executives Hugo Barra, David Singleton, and Nicholas Jitkoff, who will now work on Meta's agentic AI plans. This announcement comes after Mark Zuckerberg acquired the AI social media platform Moltbook to bolster agentic AI development.
OpenAI is offering big incentives to private equity firms in a bid to raise more funds. The ChatGPT-maker is offering a minimum return rate of 17.5 per cent, as well as early access to its new AI models. As per reports, the Sam Altman-led firm is hoping to secure a stronger footing in the enterprise market following Anthropic's lead.
The Centre said UPSC will release provisional answer keys shortly after prelims from 2026. The move follows a Supreme Court judgement and aims to improve transparency.
Claude can now control computer like a human, Anthropic says soon you won't need your laptop anymore
Claude can now get full access to your computer, do tasks by itself Anthropic has launched a new feature for Claude that allows the AI to get complete access to your computer. The AI can then complete tasks on your behalf while you are away. This feature comes just days after the company launched "Dispatch" which allows you to control Claude via your phone.
Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi's 'Bhool Chuk Maaf' will premiere on Prime Video on June 6, just two weeks after its theatrical release. Originally planned for a direct OTT debut, the film hit cinemas on May 23.
Fresh spy shots suggest the Mahindra Thar 3-door is set for another update, with design cues inspired by the Mahindra Thar Roxx and a more premium positioning in sight.
Samsung has been teasing its upcoming A-series devices since last week, without officially revealing their names. While speculation has largely pointed to the Galaxy A37 and A57, a lengthy video recently surfaced ahead of any official confirmation, revealing the key specs and pricing of the devices.
Sony will hand over most of its TV manufacturing to TCL in a deal likely worth Rs 8,300 crore, but the Bravia brand will live on. Consumers can expect familiar quality, even if the production behind the scenes changes. Here is everything you need to know.