<p>Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Tuesday pitched for policy interventions to bring smartphones to 300 million 2G phone users in India even as he announced Reliance Jio plan to rollout 5G service in next year.</p>.<p>Speaking at the inaugural session of India Mobile Congress, he said there are 300 million phone users "trapped" in 2G and there is a need for policy intervention to bring to them smartphones that are capable of doing digital transactions.</p>.<p>He also announced that Reliance Jio has plans to launch 5G services in the second half of 2021.</p>.<p>India, he said, is today among the best digitally connected nations in the world.</p>.<p>"To maintain this lead, policy steps are needed to accelerate the early rollout of 5G, and to make it affordable and available everywhere," he said.</p>.<p>"I assure you that Jio will pioneer the 5G Revolution in India in the second half of 2021. It will be powered by the indigenously developed network, hardware and technology components. Jio's 5G service will be a testimony to your inspiring vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat," Ambani said.</p>.<p>Insisting that there is a need for a faster rollout of 5G in India, he said adding his firm Jio will pioneer the 5G revolution in the country. India can develop into a manufacturing hub of semiconductors, he said.</p>.<p>"I foresee India becoming a major hub for the state-of-the-art semiconductor industry," he said. "When all the stakeholders work together, we can surely ensure that India's success in hardware will match our success in software."</p>.<p>Jio Platforms, with its family of over 20 start-up partners, has built world-class capabilities in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, machine learning, the internet of things and blockchain.</p>.<p>"My conviction comes from the enormous transformative power of the digital technologies," he said.</p>.<p>India, he said, has two unique strengths - the confluence of three D's — vibrant democracy, young demography and digital transformation, and the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>.<p>"India can — and India will — prove cynics wrong by becoming a USD 5 trillion economy," he said. "It will be a more equal India, with increased incomes, increased employment, and improved quality of life for 1 billion Indians at the middle and bottom of the economic pyramid." </p>.<p>However, Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal said the idea to develop India specific 5G standard is an existential threat and will lock the country out of the global ecosystem.</p>.<p>"There are sometimes talks that India must have its own 5G standard. This is an existential threat which could lock India out of the global ecosystem and slow down the pace of innovation. We could have let our citizens down if you allow that to happen," Vittal said while speaking at the event.</p>.<p>Addressing an event, Vodafone Idea CEO Ravinder Takkar said there are challenges related to tariffs, levies, spectrum availability and pricing but the government''s support and strength of current progressive policies would enable the sector to script its "success story".</p>.<p>Aspects like India-specific 5G use cases, and ensuring digital connectivity for those at the bottom of pyramid, or those without access to broadband or smartphones offered a distinct scope for telcos, he said.</p>.<p><em>(With agency inputs)</em></p>
<p>Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Tuesday pitched for policy interventions to bring smartphones to 300 million 2G phone users in India even as he announced Reliance Jio plan to rollout 5G service in next year.</p>.<p>Speaking at the inaugural session of India Mobile Congress, he said there are 300 million phone users "trapped" in 2G and there is a need for policy intervention to bring to them smartphones that are capable of doing digital transactions.</p>.<p>He also announced that Reliance Jio has plans to launch 5G services in the second half of 2021.</p>.<p>India, he said, is today among the best digitally connected nations in the world.</p>.<p>"To maintain this lead, policy steps are needed to accelerate the early rollout of 5G, and to make it affordable and available everywhere," he said.</p>.<p>"I assure you that Jio will pioneer the 5G Revolution in India in the second half of 2021. It will be powered by the indigenously developed network, hardware and technology components. Jio's 5G service will be a testimony to your inspiring vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat," Ambani said.</p>.<p>Insisting that there is a need for a faster rollout of 5G in India, he said adding his firm Jio will pioneer the 5G revolution in the country. India can develop into a manufacturing hub of semiconductors, he said.</p>.<p>"I foresee India becoming a major hub for the state-of-the-art semiconductor industry," he said. "When all the stakeholders work together, we can surely ensure that India's success in hardware will match our success in software."</p>.<p>Jio Platforms, with its family of over 20 start-up partners, has built world-class capabilities in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, machine learning, the internet of things and blockchain.</p>.<p>"My conviction comes from the enormous transformative power of the digital technologies," he said.</p>.<p>India, he said, has two unique strengths - the confluence of three D's — vibrant democracy, young demography and digital transformation, and the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>.<p>"India can — and India will — prove cynics wrong by becoming a USD 5 trillion economy," he said. "It will be a more equal India, with increased incomes, increased employment, and improved quality of life for 1 billion Indians at the middle and bottom of the economic pyramid." </p>.<p>However, Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal said the idea to develop India specific 5G standard is an existential threat and will lock the country out of the global ecosystem.</p>.<p>"There are sometimes talks that India must have its own 5G standard. This is an existential threat which could lock India out of the global ecosystem and slow down the pace of innovation. We could have let our citizens down if you allow that to happen," Vittal said while speaking at the event.</p>.<p>Addressing an event, Vodafone Idea CEO Ravinder Takkar said there are challenges related to tariffs, levies, spectrum availability and pricing but the government''s support and strength of current progressive policies would enable the sector to script its "success story".</p>.<p>Aspects like India-specific 5G use cases, and ensuring digital connectivity for those at the bottom of pyramid, or those without access to broadband or smartphones offered a distinct scope for telcos, he said.</p>.<p><em>(With agency inputs)</em></p>
