Huawei organized India Broader Way Forum 2014 where it unveiled the report titled “Superfast India- Repeating the Leapfrog – now to Next Generation Networks” which outlines the possibilities and benefits of next generation networks at social and economic spheres and its impact on overall national competitiveness. It also determines various factors in implementing 4G networks from the viewpoint of three main stakeholder groups including government, operators and consumers.
The report has been commissioned in association with Booz&Co. and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The launch event witnessed participation from heads of governments, industry leaders, and experts along with Cai Liqun, CEO. Huawei India Smt. Rita Teaotia, Special Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Government of India was present as Chief Guest at the Broader Way Forum. She also addressed a key note at the unveiling of the report.
The telecom sector in India has the ground to become a major enabler for other sectors¬—services-, industrial as well as social. Even though it witnessed a boom in the first decade of this millennium, the sector’s growth in the country seems to have hit a speed-breaker in the last few years due to impending regulatory and environmental issues. This has kept us afar from realizing the national goal of universal broadband connectivity, both in terms of the number of connections (quantitative) and availability of 100 Mbps on demand (qualitative).
It is imperative for India to leapfrog to the next generation of telecom technology for universal connectivity. The present mainstream technology 3G will not be able to significantly contribute to bridging the digital gap in India and help India catch up with its peers who have already transitioned to 4G. Furthermore, the clarion call by the new government for a “Digital India” would only call into sharper focus and impart significantly greater urgency for India to leapfrog and catch up with the world on the connectivity front by making its way to transitioning towards Next Generation Network.
Commenting on the launch, Cai Liqun, CEO, Huawei India “The last couple of decades have played a significant role in transforming telecommunications infrastructure in the country. The telecom revolution paved the way for broadband revolution in India which inspired the Indian government to lay the path for Digital India. However, as world sets to witness the magnanimous rollout of next generation networks (both wireline as well as wireless in the form of LTE), India is still embarking on light weight 3G technology and struggling to find a ground for the implementation of wireline network. Huawei strongly believes that providing the next generation of connectivity to our citizens is the need of the hour. Through the launch of this report we aim to analyse the impact of a successful telecom strategy on overall national competitiveness. It also evaluate the possibilities and benefits of next generation networks and dwells upon building fourth generation mobile network technology for building a Better Connected India”.
