SOA can set up 5G and software development lab: Vaishnaw

Bhubaneswar: With 5G connectivity set to be launched in India in the first week of October, Union minister for Railways, Communication, Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University here could set up a 5G Lab and a software development lab.

“The IT ministry will provide the needed 5G spectrum and extend the assistance for such ventures within 30 days of receipt of the application,” Vaishnaw said while interacting with students and faculty members of the university. SOA sources said steps were being taken for establishment of these two labs.

The Union Minister attended a programme ‘Modi@20 – Dreams meet Delivery’ organised at SOA to mark 20 years of leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said 5G connectivity would come as the biggest boon for the healthcare, agriculture and education sectors.

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“The three big challenges we faced in launching 5G included development of a stable core, development of a stable radio for Indian conditions and integration of the whole system. But we have succeeded well in all three,” he told when asked.

Vaishnaw said only five countries in the world had end-to-end technology for telecom. He said a world class 5G lab had already been developed at IIT-Chennai to provide a boost to the 5G technology.

Replying to a question about the poor speed of 4G, Vaishnaw said the biggest obstacle related to availability of spectrum.

“I recently called all telecom service providers and told them since they had the spectrum now, it was their duty to improve the quality of service. And they have been given targets,” he said.

Prof. Basanta Kumar Pati, Professor of Gynaecology in SOA’s faculty of medical sciences, welcomed the minister while Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda provided an outline of the university. Dean (Students’ Welfare) Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das conducted the proceedings.