Smartphones above Rs 10000 must switch to 5G technology in India

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) representatives met with mobile operators and smartphone manufacturers and gave them a deadline of three months to switch over to 5G services with 5G smartphones.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) representatives met with mobile operators and smartphone manufacturers and gave them a deadline of three months to switch over to 5G services with 5G smartphones.

End of 4G Smartphone production

In a meeting with senior government officials on Wednesday, representatives of the mobile phone industry promised to progressively stop making 4G phones that cost more than Rs 10,000 and switch to 5G technology. Top representatives from telecom carriers and smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung attended the meeting to discuss how to make it easy for users to obtain 5G services.

There are almost 750 million mobile phone subscribers in India; an official from a major smartphone company informed ANI. More than 350 million users utilize phones that are just 3G-4G compatible, whereas 100 million subscribers in India have 5G-ready phones. The ministry was informed by the smartphone company that they would progressively stop producing 3G-4G compatible phones that cost more than Rs 10,000.

Over 100 million consumers in India have 5G-capable phones, but several manufacturers, including Apple, do not offer the service on their products. The issue that 5G phone users are experiencing will be discovered by smartphone manufacturers once testing is underway. In comparison to Jio, Bharti Airtel is rolling out 5G in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur, and Varanasi. A topic about making client devices ready for 5G services introduced by telecom service providers on 5G networks was on the agenda for the meeting.

The discussion also covered the issue of the smartphone manufacturers’ and telecom companiesโ€™ involvement in the deployment of software FOTA updates for all 5G handsets. Additionally, it was determined to give the software upgrade top priority for Indiaโ€™s early deployment of 5G.


Recent Content

Batelco by Beyon and Nokia are partnering to launch Bahrainโ€™s first private 5G network at Aluminum Bahrain (Alba). The network will drive smart manufacturing through real-time monitoring, automation, and AI-driven analyticsโ€”paving the way for Albaโ€™s digital transformation and advancing Bahrainโ€™s Industry 4.0 strategy.
Verizon posted better-than-expected Q1 2025 earnings, with revenue and profits rising. But a record loss of 289,000 postpaid phone subscribers sent the stock down, as investors focused more on churn than cash flow. While prepaid gains and stable guidance offered some optimism, analysts remain cautious about Verizonโ€™s subscriber strategy and pricing pressure.
President Trumpโ€™s executive order to modernize environmental permitting may streamline U.S. infrastructure projectsโ€”but it notably omits telecom and broadband. Industry experts say pole attachments, state permitting rules, and access to federal lands remain critical hurdles. While the order could bring indirect benefits, real telecom reform still requires sector-specific solutions.
Airtel has acquired 400 MHz of 26 GHz mmWave spectrum from Adani Data Networks, a move that strengthens its high-speed 5G offerings in urban and enterprise zones. The deal enhances Airtelโ€™s ability to scale fixed wireless access, industrial 5G networks, and high-bandwidth consumer services. With India’s spectrum demand surging, this acquisition underscores the critical role of efficient spectrum use and signals a new phase of telecom consolidation.
ETSI has published its first ISAC report for 6Gโ€”ETSI GR ISC 001โ€”highlighting 18 use cases across healthcare, public safety, automation, and mobility. The report dives into deployment scenarios, sensing modalities, and KPIs like fine motion accuracy and sensing latency. It also outlines security, privacy, and sustainability guidelines for real-world ISAC integration into 6G networks.
Whitepaper
Telecom networks are facing unprecedented complexity with 5G, IoT, and cloud services. Traditional service assurance methods are becoming obsolete, making AI-driven, real-time analytics essential for competitive advantage. This independent industry whitepaper explores how DPUs, GPUs, and Generative AI (GenAI) are enabling predictive automation, reducing operational costs, and improving service quality....
Whitepaper
Explore the collaboration between Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University, Ericsson, and Saab at the Aviation Innovation Hub. Discover how private 5G networks, real-time analytics, and sustainable innovations are shaping the "Airport of the Future" for a smarter, safer, and greener aviation industry....
Article & Insights
This article explores the deployment of 5G NR Transparent Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), detailing the architecture's advantages and challenges. It highlights how this "bent-pipe" NTN approach integrates ground-based gNodeB components with NGSO satellite constellations to expand global connectivity. Key challenges like moving beam management, interference mitigation, and latency are discussed, underscoring...

Download Magazine

With Subscription

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Scroll to Top