India Mobile Congress 2024: Industry Leaders Call for Collaboration on AI, 5G and 6G Development

India Mobile Congress 2024- Final Day- Policy makers & Industry leaders call for collaboration to accelerate digital transformation and innovation roadmap

The 8th Edition of Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, the largest telecom, media and technology forum in Asia, jointly organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), entered the final day witnessing policy makers and industry leaders coming together to call for greater collaboration in driving digital transformation. Key discussions centered on building a future roadmap for 5G, AI and emerging technologies, with a strong focus on public-private partnerships to foster innovation and digital inclusion. Further demonstrating this year's theme of "The Future is Now", the fourth day featured important sessions and panels which included: Spectrum for $1 Trillion Digital Economy, Evolution of FinTech and Enabling Role of Government, AI and Digital Intelligence: Initiative by DoT, 5G lessons to 6G Developments - Emphasizing India's contribution from an academic perspective. ITU-WATSA also hosted AI for Good - Machina learning in 5G challenge, a collaborative platform where AI innovators and problem owners learn, discuss and connect to identify AI solutions to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Quotes from key industry leaders on Day 4 of India Mobile Congress 2024: Lt. Gen M U Nair, National Cybersecurity Coordinator (NCSC) said, "The DoT has taken multiple initiatives to protect cyberspace but despite that, cybercrimes are only increasing. Every day we find people losing money and we are trying to ascertain why this is taking place. Sim card fraud is another challenge we are facing in the ecosystem." Sh. Manish Sinha Member (F) Department of Telecommunications said, "The development of a robust digital public infrastructure is crucial for India's economic growth. Collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions is essential to address the challenges and opportunities in this sector. Spectrum management is a critical issue, requiring careful consideration of allocation, satellite spectrum, and licensing. Balancing the needs of traditional and emerging services while ensuring sufficient spectrum availability is essential. Resolving these spectrum challenges can provide valuable insights and solutions for telecom administrations worldwide." Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, COAI said, "We need to roll out 5G and create a robust future network, the deficit between expenditure and earnings needs to be filled in. Last year's deficit was 10000 crores. There are 2 feasible ways of doing so 70-80% of our network traffic today, is OTT traffic. So we must come to a unanimous decision with them, of sharing a fair share of the infrastructure cost, which can be regularly reviewed and revised. We need 2 Gigahertz of spectrum to provide 5G at full efficiency -- but what we got in the last auction was only 800 Megahertz. So, there is a deficit of 1200 Megahertz that needs to be fulfilled to offer the true flavor of 5G at optimum costs. Having telecom is no longer a luxury; it is an essential ingredient flavoring our lives. Therefore, it has to be made robust. IMC 2024 will be a turning point for the Telecom industry; as it has been an eye-opener for the imperativeness of coming together of all players and discussing certain issues. Certainly, the way ahead will be carved out better." U.K. Srivastava, President, Reliance Jio said, "Since early August, we have taken several actions, as service providers, in collaboration with the government, and we have blocked a lot of numbers to make the system safer. All this has been possible because of the efforts and portals developed by DoT and we are sure that the complaints will reduce further going ahead. We are also blocking messages which are not whitelisted and I expect this to limit frauds." Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Director General of Bharat 6G Alliance said, "To harness the power of technology for our youth, we must unify government, academia and industry, investing in innovative standards and overcoming challenges in collaboration. With a vision of 10,000 ideas, we seek to leverage 5G to foster growth, support finance personnel in their roles, and advocate for effective law-making that drives meaningful change while ensuring sustainable revenue through strategic asset taxation." Shri Asit Kadyan, DDG, DoT said, "It is important to provide access to all kinds of data and Digital Twin is mainly for collecting data from diverse sources and the key aspect that we are targeting as a part of the Sangam Digital Twin is the monetization model to engage the people. So, knowledge will go upstream in this model and money will go downstream. This is a part of the architecture which is enabling monetization and aligning the incentives. The purity of data is important to device an optimal solution and the fluidity of the solution architecture is important to become adaptable and the outcome of this entire initiative is the source of life for the best solutions." Concurrent to IMC 2024, India is also hosting the prestigious international conferences - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly New Delhi 2024 (WTSA 2024) and Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) from 14-24 October 2024 at Pragati Maidan.

India Mobile Congress 2024 - Day 3 - Industry calls for global collaboration for 6G and India taking a leading role

Leaders reiterate the need for India to nurture public-private partnerships, support advanced research and play a leading role in shaping global standards The 8th Edition of Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, the largest telecom, media and technology forum in Asia, jointly organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), entered the 3rd day showcasing use cases, display of sustainable tech solutions and the integration of blockchain across businesses. The 3rd day witnessed a panel of industry trailblazers on 'Revolutionizing Content Creation in India: Leveraging AI and Digital Platforms to Reach the Next Billion Users', with Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India, Rajiv Makhni, Sahiba Bali, Naman Deshmukh and Mehak Kasbekar. The discussion saw a deep dive into the future of digital content and innovative strategies to engage a growing audience. Further demonstrating this year's theme of "The Future is Now", the third day also saw the breakfast meeting of Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, with prominent CTOs from leading global companies on the theme 'Technology's next frontier: Leadership for a connected tomorrow'. The CTO Breakfast meeting witnessed thought provoking discussions addressing ways to develop new age technologies and foster last mile connectivity across India. The CTOs shared ideas and best practices from across the world that can redefine and refine the telecom landscape of India. Third day featured important sessions and panels which included: Winning in the AI revolution, From Principles to Practices: AI for tomorrow, Unlocking Revenue Streams with Scalable Network as a Service, The 5G Impact: Has it truly Touched Everyone, Driving Business Forward: Harnessing 5G use cases in enterprise, Balancing digital demand: Ensuring level play for Telecom networks, Personalized, Safe, and Sustainable: The Smart Mobility Frontier, Emerging Trends and Technologies in Broadcasting Sector, Skilling for Connected Future - Connecting the Un-Connected, From Blueprint to Reality: Electronics Manufacturing Vanguard, Exploring 5G Opportunities for Industry 4.0, among others. Quotes from key industry leaders on Day 3 of India Mobile Congress 2024: Alan Norman, Public Policy Director, Meta Platforms said, "Meta's focus is on building the future of human connections. We have over 4 billion users across the globe, not just on Facebook but also on Instagram, WhatsApp and many other applications. We are working on enhancing the immersive experiences for users through augmented virtual reality by giving people a sense of being somewhere they aren't actually there. The two breakthrough developments by Meta in this field include the Quest 3 virtual reality headset and the Xtadium app, which are helping in enhancing the broadcast experience for customers." Salil Khanna, SLG Head (Enterprise), Reliance Jio said, "5G technology is poised to play a vital role in India's economic growth. Jio has a robust 5G network with millions of subscribers, offering enhanced user experience for multimedia and collaborative applications. The focus is now on expanding 5G solutions to enterprises, requiring investments in areas like mobile computing, AI and cloud infrastructure. Collaboration with device manufacturers and other industry players is crucial for the successful implementation of these solutions. India is well-positioned to make significant strides in 5G technology and leverage its benefits in the coming years." Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, DG, COAI said, "Providing the best quality to subscribers yet making some profit out of it is the main challenge for any commercial entity and this is not occurring at present for Telcos. The second challenge revolves around us, as TSPs, creating the entire 7 layers of the telecom network, thereby reaching the application stage and then having the OTTs coming in and using the topmost layer without paying charges that are at par with the service they are receiving. Last year, there was a deficiency of 10,000 crores, between what we spent on the networks and the amount Telcos recovered. It is not possible to recover this deficiency by increasing subscribers or raising the tariffs. A possible solution is that the top 4-5 Large Traffic Generator OTTs, which are mostly MNCs, contribute to the building of the infrastructure." Sandeep Agarwal, Head of Products & Platforms, Network Solutions and Services, TCS said, "As PM rightly said there's a need of strategic policies & frameworks is to regulate AI. I believe trust is an important aspect of AI technology and there are so many wonderful use cases of AI such as smart cards and another aspect is education for safety purposes. These safety institutions provide technical expertise as well as resources to governments to help understand and mitigate the risks of AI. Further, we must understand the importance of Responsible AI and ensuring that sensitive data is secure from unauthorized access and that individual privacy is well protected." Dr Paul Sitch, Product Manager, Customer Requirements, Nokia said, "Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is widely regarded as the first killer use case of 5G, thanks to its great synergy with 5G. As 5G uses spectrum in the 3-5 GHz range, it allows for significantly larger spectrum allocations compared to previous generations. Traditionally, data was backhauled to a regional center where the core network and applications were hosted. However, to support advanced use cases like wireless factories, driverless vehicles, mines, ports, and autonomous systems, low latency is crucial. To achieve this, core applications need to be moved much closer to the base stations, within a few kilometers. This is known as the aggregated edge, where core and application functions are hosted locally for a cluster of sites." Anuj Sidharth, Director, Marketing and Corporate Communication, MediaTek said, "Every technology comes with its advantages and disadvantages - the onus of using it responsibly for its advantages and training the technology fruitfully, rests on our shoulders. AI is the buzzword today and its use cases are certainly shaping our lives in this modern era. MediaTek has always been at the forefront of technology adoption and today, AI is at the core of all we do. We have powered more than 2 million devices till date including smart phones, smart devices and many more." Concurrent to IMC 2024, India is also hosting the prestigious international conferences - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly New Delhi 2024 (WTSA 2024) and Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) from 14-24 October 2024 at Pragati Maidan. India Mobile Congress, Asia's largest digital technology forum, has become a well-known platform across the globe for showcasing innovative solutions, services and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academics, startups and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem. The India Mobile Congress 2024 is hosting over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups and participation from over 120 countries. The event is also showcasing more than 900 technology use case scenarios, hosting more than 100 sessions with over 600 global and Indian speakers.

India Mobile Congress 2024- Day 2- Industry leaders call for global framework for digital governance across sectors; Leaders discuss India's tremendous opportunity in advancing 6G technology

The second day of IMC 2024 also witnessed senior industry leaders deliberating on relevant themes, including Future Digital Infrastructure for Viksit BHARAT, AI driving Autonomous networks of the future and the Expanding Role of Telecom Service Providers in Ensuring Cybersecurity The 8th Edition of Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, the largest telecom, media and technology forum in Asia, jointly organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), entered in 2nd day showcasing futuristic technologies, integration of AI in across sectors and India's digital and telecommunication potential with a range of emerging innovations. Inaugurated by Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India Mobile Congress 2024 is happening concurrently with ITU-WTSA, with participation from over 120 countries. The second day of IMC 2024 began with a breakfast meeting of Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Minister of Communications and Development of Northeastern Region, with prominent CEOs from leading global companies on the theme 'Leading in the Moment: The Future is Now'. Day 2 also saw the inauguration of International 6G Symposium, Launch of Telecom Smart Cities Index by OpenSignal and Workshop with Academicians of 5G Test Labs. Inauguration of International 6G Symposium The International 6G Symposium was inaugurated at the International 6G Symposium during India Mobile Congress 2024 by Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Minister of Communications and Development of Northeastern Region. Highlighting India's ambition to lead global 6G innovation, Honorable Minister emphasized that India, having successfully implemented one of the fastest 5G rollouts, is now poised to shape the future of 6G with standards that are inclusive, accessible, and affordable for all. He underscored the importance of cybersecurity and India's capability to contribute to the formulation of 6G regulations. Launch of Telecom Smart Cities Index by Opensignal Opensignal's Indian Cities Digital Readiness Ranking (ICDRR) assesses 50 Indian cities' mobile infrastructure, highlighting their readiness for smart city transformation through 4G/5G Availability, Consistent Quality, and Overall Download Speeds. Top 5 ranked cities in India are: Srinagar, Agra, Faridabad, Jaipur and Patna. Workshop with Academicians of 5G Test Labs - The workshop with academicians of 5G test labs included discussions on enhancing indigenous 5G network for 5G+/6G standard, role of enterprise private networks, network transformation with 5G/5G+ and applications for enterprise verticals, industrial 5G use cases and live demos done by 5G ACIA in their test beds. The leaders deliberated on 5G (IOT) Use cases in industries, healthcare, smart grids, agriculture, education, among others. The day also featured important sessions and panels which included: Supercharging India through Equitable AI, Future unveiled: Key insights for the new techade, Securing the Digital realm: Enhancing cyber defense, Techos pioneering the future of private networks, AI driving Autonomous networks of the future (Part A), AI-enhanced processing : The future of Chipsets, Navigating Gen AI: Advances challenges and opportunities, Future Digital Infrastructure for Viksit BHARAT, Smart Cities Index Launch, The Expanding Role of Telecom Service Providers in Ensuring Cybersecurity, Satellite Communication: The Pulse of a Digital Nation, Decarbonizing for a Sustainable Digital Future. The extensive lineup of more than 100 sessions continued on the second day, highlighting the transformative potential of emerging technologies and role of AI across industries such as telecom, satcom, semiconductors, cybersecurity, education, cloud & edge computing, electronics manufacturing and their impact on society and the economy worldwide. Quotes from key industry leaders on Day 2 of India Mobile Congress 2024: Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, DoT said, "India is becoming a focal point for global innovation in technologies. The IMC and the ITU-WTSA is playing crucial roles in showcasing products, setting standards, and driving collaboration. As a leader in the 6G Alliance, India aims to collaborate with partners to advance research, standardization, and public-private partnerships. Joint research efforts, policy harmonization, and the development of skilled manpower are key priorities. Through these initiatives, India seeks to position itself as a global leader in 6G technology and drive innovation and development." Shri D Sridhar Babu, IT Minister, Telangana said, "Telangana stands as a beacon of innovation, boasting impressive statistics that highlight our state's technological and academic prowess. We have 1.5 lakh engineers, 1 lakh STEM graduates, and a total of 2.5 lakh graduates fuelling our dynamic workforce. Telangana is uniquely positioned to harness this growth. Our approach to becoming an AI powerhouse is not only visionary but meticulously executed. We are developing an AI-ready ecosystem characterized by state-of-the-art compute capacity, unified AI services, and substantial funding for AI startups. At the core of this vision is the Telangana AI Mission, built upon seven foundational pillars designed to drive our AI strategy forward. These pillars include the Young India Skill Development University, AI Capacity, Trust in AI, AI City, CoEs for key industries, AI for Grassroots, and AI in Governance." Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, DG, COAI said, "As technology advances at an unprecedented pace, policies and regulations must adapt rapidly to keep up. The growing complexity of network boundaries, data sovereignty, and the integration of man-machine interfaces in 5G and beyond call for a seamless blend of public-private partnerships. By leveraging the private sector's expertise and integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI and blockchain, we can build policies that are dynamic, interactive, and future-ready. Technologies like quantum computing and blockchain will play a key role in enforcing these policies, but they also bring challenges such as data sovereignty and Global Personal Taxation Regimes (GPTR), which are not inherently supported by technology. These concepts are alien to the digital infrastructure, yet legislation continues to enforce policies that don't align with the technical capabilities of the systems in place." Erik Ekudden, CTO, Ericsson said, "We are currently implementing a program utilizing open APIs for cloud and network integration, aiming to make networks equally open for business over the next decade. Historically, the focus was on meeting consumer needs, but in the future, the emphasis will shift towards supporting societal needs. Although India is in the early stages of 5G rollout, there is significant potential. Predictions indicate substantial growth in mobile technology adoption, with millions of households expected to connect in the coming years. This access to 5G technology will drive enterprise upgrades and government self-reliance, setting the stage for the next wave of innovation. Ongoing research and standardization efforts focus on the smooth migration from current technologies to future ones like 6G." Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), DG, ISpA said, "We must address the fact that 40% of India's population, which remains offline, is nearly twice the population of the United States. The digital divide is most pronounced in our rural areas, where traditional infrastructure faces significant challenges. Fiber optic cables and mobile towers, the backbone of our current internet infrastructure, are costly and often impractical to implement in remote and rugged terrains. Communication will continue to be the largest revenue source, with new constellations expanding the reach of satellite communications, particularly for mobility in remote areas, and reducing traditional demands for a much larger number of satellites. Several constellations, including Eutelsat OneWeb, SpaceX, and Amazon's Kuiper, are already in place, and more are expected to emerge soon. This market will accelerate with the availability of broadband connectivity. The satellite market in India is poised for explosive growth, with the number of satellite internet users expected to increase six-fold by 2025, reaching about two million." G. Subramaniam, Chairman, Bharat 6G Alliancesaid, "Although the future is difficult to predict, we will witness seamless connections between humans and machines and various other devices if we keep connecting the dots with ceaseless innovations. Undoubtedly, we are gauging humongous possibilities with the emerging digital and communication technologies. However, for this, a reliable, secure, and trusted next-gen network is essential to bring these ideas to a consequence and improve the overall quality of life on Earth. We at Bharat 6G Alliance are visualizing this future by working closely with the academia, TSPs, R&D organizations, and OEMs. Together we will define the future comprising of technical innovations and expert innovations and this will empower people at large. This 6G symposium will bring together experts to nurture and open collaborative research and innovation possibilities." Savi Soin, Senior Vice President and President, Qualcomm said, "The cost of running an AI model is very expensive. Gen AI is developing in the cloud and edge in parallel. By creating used cases, India is leading in the introduction of a new techade. We are launching new devices and chips which have AI capability while offering premium performance. We have best-in-class engineers that are working on autonomous and IoT devices that are customizing the solutions for the Indian market. To give back to the community we have semiconductor workshops that enable students and startups to gain hands on experience of our technology and its capabilities." Tarun Chhabra, Sr. Vice President & Country Head, Nokia India said, "There is a huge change occurring in the device ecosystem, especially in the smartphone vertical. India has made commendable progress in 5G and going ahead, we need to create future-ready networks which can support even more advanced devices and new age technologies like AI. We are also working on boosting the sensing capacity of networks, which can facilitate enhanced and autonomous use cases. The future will be driven by robust collaboration between the customer and partner ecosystem, opening up of networks for innovation and interoperability. The next techade will witness the fusion of digital and physical worlds, augmenting human capabilities with AI-enhanced networks that sense, think and act being vital for this evolution." Jong Bum Park, President & CEO, Samsung said, "As we advance towards a hyper connected future with 5G and IoT, it is imperative to secure our devices and Samsung is, accordingly, prioritizing data security and privacy. At Samsung, we are constantly exploring ways to add extra levels of security to our software and hardware offerings and ensuring a safer user experience. With the benefit of increased connectivity, there is an increased possibility of security breaches and Samsung Knox is built to counteract these issues, including unauthorised access and personal data breaches." Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India said, "India has a content generation economy and 5G FWA is allowing 5G connectivity in remote areas. Further, AI chipsets are optimising bandwidth, increasing reliability and advancing the edge computing, speeding up response times, enabling providers to offer efficient, real-time data services and monitoring solutions. MediaTek is extensively focusing on Edge AI to locally facilitate the large computations required by Large Language Model (LLM), thereby enhancing efficiency and user privacy." Siddharth Talawadekar, VP & Business Head - IoT, Bharti Airtel Digital, said, "The evolution of mobile networks from 2G to 5G, highlighting the rapid technological advancements and the anticipated transition to 6G. It emphasizes the role of quantum computing in accelerating the digital revolution and the integration of technologies like AI, machine learning, and cloud computing in transforming industries. It also touches on the democratization of technology through apps, the rise of quick commerce, and the impact of AI on supply chain operations. Additionally, the development of smart factories and private networks, and the potential of smart utilities to optimize energy demands and grid management." Concurrent to IMC 2024, India is also hosting the prestigious international conferences - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly New Delhi 2024 (WTSA 2024) and Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) from 14-24 October 2024 at Pragati Maidan itself. India Mobile Congress, Asia's largest digital technology forum, has become a well-known platform across the globe for showcasing innovative solutions, services and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academics, startups and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem. The India Mobile Congress 2024 will showcase over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups, and participation from over 120 countries. The event also aims to showcase more than 900 technology use case scenarios, host more than 100 sessions and discussion with over 600 global and Indian speakers.

PM Narendra Modi calls for global standards in ethical AI and data privacy; Industry leaders join to discuss the road ahead to digital transformation in the era of AI

The 8th Edition of Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, the largest telecom, media and technology forum in Asia, jointly organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), kicked-off today with inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam. Hon'ble Prime Minister took a walkthrough of the exhibition area before officially inaugurating the event and where he listed four pillars of Digital India - Low-priced devices, extensive reach of digital connectivity to every nook and corner of the country, easily accessible data and goal of 'Digital First'. Further demonstrating this year's theme of "The Future is Now", the first day of IMC and WTSA 2024 saw global leaders, visionaries, innovators and exhibitors showcased innovative technologies, ideas and use cases across key industries and sectors. India Mobile Congress 2024 is currently taking place from 15th -18th October, 2024 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The inaugural day witnessed showcases, keynotes and session discussions by industry leaders on telecom and digital infrastructure, quantum technology and circular economy, along with a spotlight on 6G and 5G use-case, cloud & edge computing, IoT, semiconductors, cybersecurity, green tech, satcom and electronics manufacturing. The day also featured important sessions and panels which included: Shaping the Future of Telecom: AI, 5G, and the Power of Multi-layer Convergence, Xciting Networks, Unleashing Potential, Orchestrating Future Connectivity with Open APIs, The Future Engineered: Women Driving the Digital Paradigm, Gadgets that shape the future: Insights and innovations, among others. Commenting on the Honorable Prime Minister Speech Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI, "India's telecom story is unfolding into a new phase. With the IMC 2024 and WTSA 2024 inauguration today, the deliberations for the next few days will play an important role in India's growing global leadership in the industry. We are truly inspired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister's inaugural speech, wherein he highlighted the focus on Digital India, technology leadership and aligned opportunities for women, among others. The industry is committed to following his vision of India playing a pragmatic role in the technology and telecom landscape, while fostering a framework of rules and regulations for the sector." Quotes from key industry leaders on Day 1 of India Mobile Congress 2024: Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA said, "India is doing absolutely phenomenon and the rollout of 5G is literally unmatched with India leading in 5G downloads. Regarding AI, We need to respect the complexity of AI. We see bright future in AI, but we need to respect the complex nature of AI, we need to follow the ethics etc. Spectrum is lifeline and blood of operators, aligning on spectrum is crucial to achieve our connectivity targets. We need to help the government to have a roadmap and timeline to align 6 GHz, if they missed it and leave no one behind." Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, DG, COAI said, "As we navigate the complexities of 5G, cybersecurity is no longer an overlay but an integral part of our digital fabric. With machines, sensors, and cross-border networks blurring boundaries, securing telecom networks is crucial for national security and economic stability. Policy, regulation, and technology must converge to address this challenge. The evolving threat landscape demands innovative solutions, from deep packet inspection to enterprise security operation centers. The imperative for sustainable cybersecurity measures has never been more pressing." Andres Vicente, Head of MA Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson said, "India is leading the 5G revolution, deploying half a billion base stations in just 22 months, covering 90% of the population. 5G will not only connect people but everything -- from vehicles and wearables to critical industries -- becoming the backbone of our society with 10 times the capacity of 4G and 30% less energy consumption." Udayan Mukherjee, Intel Senior Fellow & Chief Architect, Network and Communications Products said, "At Intel, we're seeing a massive evolution in AI's role within telecommunications. AI's potential to enhance traditional processes like MIMO and link adaptation is transformative, especially as we push into 6G research, where AI-native and cloud-native RAN concepts are becoming a reality. Our advancements in silicon, including the AMX matrix acceleration on Gen 6 SOCs, are built to handle complex AI workloads at the network edge, ensuring future-proof solutions. We also recognize the Indian government's proactive contribution, with its support for 6G research and AI-driven telecom innovation. This collaboration enables smarter, more efficient networks capable of predictive maintenance and real-time problem-solving-key for the next generation of telecom." Alex Rogers, President, Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) & Global Affairs, Qualcomm said, "5G has driven India's tremendous growth in data consumption, making it the second-largest smartphone market and a significant manufacturing base. As AI advances, we're facing a massive power demand in data centers, projected to consume 50% of their capacity by 2035. The solution lies in shifting AI workloads to edge devices, such as smartphones, PCs, and vehicles, which can handle significant AI tasks independently. Edge AI offers real opportunities for power-efficient computing, enabling us to achieve sustainability and reduce infrastructure burdens." Vito Di Maria, Vice President, APAC Optical Networks Business Centre, Network Infrastructure Business Group, Nokia said, "We've been hearing about India's journey towards a digitally connected nation. This digitalization is leading to massive data generation. However, geographical challenges, such as laying cables in certain regions, pose obstacles. India is playing a central role in overcoming these challenges. Given the young population and high usage of digital applications, India is a prime target for AI investments. The future of data centers involves distributed investments and dynamic traffic patterns. This shift requires a scalable and simplified approach to connectivity." Gururaj, MD, Optiemus Electronics Ltd. said, "In line with Honorable PM Modi's thought, devices should be affordable. I believe it is the job of the manufacturer to bring together all available technology and serve them in devices that are affordable for all. From a device manufacturing perspective - the creation of modular smartphones is revolutionary in the telecom world - and the leading company is testing this right now. All these technologies need a large amount of energy/power, and battery technology needs to evolve at a better pace. Storage of energy is certainly a challenge, but we are working towards curating solutions." Concurrent to IMC 2024, India is also hosting the prestigious international conferences - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly New Delhi 2024 (WTSA 2024) and Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) from 14-24 October 2024 at Pragati Maidan itself. India Mobile Congress, Asia's largest digital technology forum, has become a well-known platform across the globe for showcasing innovative solutions, services and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academics, startups and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem. The India Mobile Congress 2024 will showcase over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups, and participation from over 120 countries. The event also aims to showcase more than 900 technology use case scenarios, host more than 100 sessions and discussion with over 600 global and Indian speakers.

India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024 Day 2: International 6G Symposium, 5G Test Labs workshop and more

India Mobile Congress (IMC), Asia's premier digital technology exhibition, kicked off yesterday with the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam. The big event, co-hosted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), revolves around the theme 'The Future is Now.' The event will run until 18th October 2024 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The second day of IMC 2024 also witnessed senior industry leaders deliberating on relevant themes, including Future Digital Infrastructure for Viksit BHARAT, AI driving Autonomous networks of the future, and the Expanding Role of Telecom Service Providers in Ensuring Cybersecurity. Day 2 of the event began with a breakfast meeting of Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Minister of Communications and Development of Northeastern Region, with prominent CEOs from leading global companies on the theme 'Leading in the Moment: The Future is Now'. There was also the inauguration of the International 6G Symposium, the Launch of the Telecom Smart Cities Index by OpenSignal, and a Workshop with Academicians of 5G Test Labs. At the event, Opensignal, an independent analytics company specializing in consumer connectivity experiences, released the Telecom Smart Cities Index. The company assessed the mobile infrastructure of 50 Indian cities, highlighting their readiness for smart city transformation based on 4G/5G availability, consistent quality, and overall download speeds. According to Opensignal's Indian Cities Digital Readiness Ranking (ICDRR) assessment, the top 5 ranked cities in India are Srinagar, Agra, Faridabad, Jaipur, and Patna. The event also featured a workshop that included academicians from 5G test labs, focusing on enhancing the indigenous 5G network for 5G+/6G standards. The discussions covered the role of enterprise private networks, network transformation with 5G/5G+, applications for enterprise verticals, industrial 5G use cases, and live demos conducted by 5G ACIA in their test beds. The day also featured important sessions and panel discussions, which included: Some Day 1 event were also continued on Day 2 that focused on emerging technologies and the role of AI across various industries, including telecom, satcom, semiconductors, cybersecurity, education, cloud & edge computing, and electronics manufacturing, highlighting their impact on society and the global economy. At the event, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, DoT said, India is becoming a focal point for global innovation in technologies. The IMC and the ITU-WTSA is playing crucial roles in showcasing products, setting standards, and driving collaboration. As a leader in the 6G Alliance, India aims to collaborate with partners to advance research, standardization, and public-private partnerships. Joint research efforts, policy harmonization, and the development of skilled manpower are key priorities. Through these initiatives, India seeks to position itself as a global leader in 6G technology and drive innovation and development. Shri D Sridhar Babu, IT Minister, Telangana said, Telangana stands as a beacon of innovation, boasting impressive statistics that highlight our state's technological and academic prowess. We have 1.5 lakh engineers, 1 lakh STEM graduates, and a total of 2.5 lakh graduates fuelling our dynamic workforce. Telangana is uniquely positioned to harness this growth. Our approach to becoming an AI powerhouse is not only visionary but meticulously executed. We are developing an AI-ready ecosystem characterized by state-of-the-art compute capacity, unified AI services, and substantial funding for AI startups. At the core of this vision is the Telangana AI Mission, built upon seven foundational pillars designed to drive our AI strategy forward. These pillars include the Young India Skill Development University, AI Capacity, Trust in AI, AI City, CoEs for key industries, AI for Grassroots, and AI in Governance. Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, DG, COAI said,

India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024 kicks off

India Mobile Congress (IMC), Asia's premier digital technology exhibition, kicked off today with inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam. The big event, co-hosted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), revolves around the theme 'The Future is Now.' The event will run until 18th October 2024 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The first day of IMC 2024 saw global leaders, visionaries, innovators, and exhibitors showcase innovative technologies, ideas, and use cases across key industries and sectors. The India Mobile Congress 2024 boasts over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups, and participation from over 120 countries. The inaugural day it has featured important sessions and panels which included: Shaping the Future of Telecom: AI, 5G, and the Power of Multi-layer Convergence, Xciting Networks, Unleashing Potential, Orchestrating Future Connectivity with Open APIs, The Future Engineered: Women Driving the Digital Paradigm, Gadgets that shape the future: Insights and innovations, among others. There were also keynotes and session discussions by industry leaders on telecom and digital infrastructure, quantum technology, and circular economy, and a spotlight on 6G and 5G use cases, cloud & edge computing, IoT, semiconductors, cybersecurity, green tech, satcom, and electronics manufacturing. Telecom companies like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and BSNL had their stalls showcasing their latest AI-based innovations and achievements of 4G/5G network standards. Interestingly, we could spot an Airtel stall showcasing their Satellite-based tolling technology which should reduce time and enhance the highway riding experience. Reliance Jio showcased their IoT products specially designed for road safety by integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI). Concurrent to IMC 2024, India is also hosting the international conferences - World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly New Delhi 2024 (WTSA 2024) and Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) from 14-24 October 2024 at Pragati Maidan itself. This event brought leaders from leading communication tech giants like Nokia, Qualcomm, Ericsson, etc. They see India as a tech hub, featuring massive growth in 5G rollout, and as a prime target for AI investments. Commenting on the matter, Alex Rogers, President, Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL) & Global Affairs, Qualcomm said, 5G has driven India's tremendous growth in data consumption, making it the second-largest smartphone market and a significant manufacturing base. As AI advances, we're facing a massive power demand in data centers, projected to consume 50% of their capacity by 2035. The solution lies in shifting AI workloads to edge devices, such as smartphones, PCs, and vehicles, which can handle significant AI tasks independently. Edge AI offers real opportunities for power-efficient computing, enabling us to achieve sustainability and reduce infrastructure burdens. Commenting on the Honorable Prime Minister Speech, Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI, India's telecom story is unfolding into a new phase. With the IMC 2024 and WTSA 2024 inauguration today, the deliberations for the next few days will play an important role in India's growing global leadership in the industry. We are truly inspired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister's inaugural speech, wherein he highlighted the focus on Digital India, technology leadership and aligned opportunities for women, among others. The industry is committed to following his vision of India playing a pragmatic role in the technology and telecom landscape, while fostering a framework of rules and regulations for the sector. Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, said,

AI-based innovations shine at India Mobile Congress 2024; Over 750 AI-based use cases showcased

Leading Tech & Telecom companies, Startups & Educational Institutes Showcase AI Innovations during the 4-day forum Artificial Intelligence (AI) stood out as a key flavour of the season at India Mobile Congress 2024, as a diverse spectrum of tech and telecom companies, including startups and educational institutes, showcased over 900 technology use case scenarios, including 750 AI-based use cases during the 4-day forum at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. During his inaugural visit to IMC 2024, Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with pioneering startups like Signalchip, Wisig Networks, including women-led startups like Astrome and Easiofy Solutions, showcasing India's leadership in cutting-edge technology innovations. The focus of the AI enabled use cases was on conservation, convenience, efficiency, safety, automating hazardous tasks, assisting humans and more. On one end, AI-based virtual agents were taking over the workloads at contact centers and on the other end, addressing shortage of doctors in remote areas. AI-Based Technology Focussed Innovations Some key use cases included solutions for railway safety, including AI-based systems which are able to detect and send alerts on unusual activity on tracks. Showcasing its latest AI innovations at the 2024 India Mobile Congress, Bharti Airtel launched India's first AI-powered spam detection solution to combat spam calls and messages. This network-based tool provides real-time alerts, helping users reduce spam effectively. Ericsson showcased a 5G-powered robotic dog, Rocky, who can assist authorities with efficient emergency response by sending alerts in time that can help authorities deal with emergency situations like fire outbreaks. Nokia showcased technologies spanning 5G, 6G, AI/ML and network infrastructure, aimed at driving innovation and promoting a sustainable future. Reliance Jio offered attendees an exclusive preview of PhoneCall AI, a highly anticipated feature for transcribing and summarising phone calls, which is currently in alpha testing phase. Vodafone Idea demonstrated the transmission of real-time diagnostic reports over its high-speed network, enabling doctors to conduct video consultations remotely. The solution offers over 30 medical tests, including vitals and blood screenings, at a cost of under ₹250, making healthcare more accessible in rural areas. Startups Paving the Way for AI-Powered Disruption Some startups offered humanoid, digital co-workers and AI-powered marketing bots to tackle serious issues like mental health while others offered AI driven de-addiction programs. The startups also brought attention to Human Resources, using AI to hire, automate payrolls, attendance management, training needs of employees and tracking employee performance. Innovations from Educational Institutes Commending the participation of Education industry Mr. Ramakrishna P., CEO, IMC said, "IMC 2024 saw participation from a number of education institutes including IITs and other engineering colleges and universities. They got an opportunity to share their ideas, display their innovations and interact with industry leaders, investors and experts from different fields. IMC 2024 provided the ideal setting for enriching ideas incubated in college labs with the right mentorship opportunities." IMC 2024 showcased groundbreaking ideas and innovations from prestigious academic institutions like IITs and IIMs. Through LLMs such as BharatGen, IMC highlighted the cutting-edge research and technological advancements emerging from these institutions, demonstrating their role in shaping the future of telecom and technology in India. C3iHub, a Technology Innovation Hub established at IIT Kanpur and funded by Department of Science & Technology (DST), addressed cybersecurity of cyber-physical systems, with key focus on critical infrastructure, automotives, and drones. Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) showcased over a dozen AI-based solutions for smart agriculture and even aquarium management, with AI enabled feed for fish. The AI system detects the right time for feed and releases feed accordingly while also monitoring water quality and sending alerts to owners. Mahindra University students displayed AI-based solutions to bolster shrimp farming (raising shrimp in controlled environments). The tool constantly monitors and ensures conditions are ideal for shrimp farming. India Mobile Congress, Asia's largest digital technology forum, has become a well-known platform across the globe for showcasing innovative solutions, services and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academics, startups and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem. The India Mobile Congress 2024 hosted over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups and participation from over 120 countries.

IMC 2024: Over 950 Million Internet Users in India, PM Modi Says

India Mobile Congress -- or IMC 2024 -- was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, alongside the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA) 2024. At the annual digital technology forum, several milestones in the areas of mobile network connectivity, broadband adoption, and optical fibre network expansion were highlighted by the Prime Minister. Over the course of this week, IMC 2024 will see participation from telecom operators like Reliance Jio and Airtel, as well as technology firms like Xiaomi and Qualcomm. Inaugurating the 8th edition of the India Mobile Congress, PM Modi said that India now has 1.2 billion mobile users and more than 950 million internet users, while the country accounts for over 40 percent of global real-time digital transactions. "India leads globally in data affordability, with data costing just Rs. 12 per GB, while many countries charge 10-12X more," the Prime Minister said, adding that 5G network coverage had expanded to all districts in the country, while the optical fibre network was expanded by a great deal over the past 10 yeas, covering over eight times the distance between the Moon and Earth. Another area highlighted by PM Modi was the increase in smartphone manufacturing in the country, The Prime Minister also pointed to investments in semiconductor technology, as well as efforts to produce entirely 'Made-in-India' handsets, including components like processors. Meanwhile, Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Mittal shared details of Airtel's recently introduced anti-spam technology that is designed to block calls from scammers and fraudulent messages, in order to protect users. "We are now working with the industry to ensure, and with the Department of Telecom, that our people, when they're using these networks and enjoying all those services, are safe and secure," Mittal added. Vodafone Idea (Vi) promoter Kumar Mangalam Birla said on Tuesday that the beleaguered telecom operator's capex cycle was kickstarted by its follow-on-public offer (FPO), where it reportedly received bids worth Rs. 90,000 crore, allowing Vi to announce new capex deals with Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung. "At Vi, we're helping MSMEs break barriers and access new markets through 5G, IoT, AI, and cloud technologies. With our Vi Business ReadyForNext program, over 1.6 lakh MSMEs are now future-ready. As we build a world where virtual and augmented reality become part of daily life, we remain committed to empowering small businesses to lead India's digital growth," Birla said. Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani pushed for data localisation at IMC 2024. "The scale and speed of multilingual data generation in India, which will drive the AI revolution, will grow exponentially. We request the government to expedite the updating of the 2020 draft of the Data Centre Policy that Indian data should remain in India's data centres," he said. At IMC 2024, Jio also announced the launch of two new feature phones with 4G connectivity -- JioBharat V3 and JioBharat V4. The handsets arrive a year after the JioBharat V3 was introduced in India, and offer access to the internet as well as the company's digital services including JioPay and JioCinema.