Broadband India Forum gears up to push 5G trials
New Delhi, July 19: Broadband India Forum (BIF), which works closely with the government's 5G high-level forum, on Thursday said it formed a "5G Committee" to champion the roll-out of 5G trials in the country.
The BIF said it received proposals for three 5G trials.
The companies identified as industry leaders for carrying out first set of 5G trials include Nokia for public safety, Sterlite for manufacturing and Aeris for Internet of Things (IoT).
"We're very excited that BIF has taken a big step forward by setting the ball rolling for 5G trials with industry leaders such as Nokia, Sterlite and Aeris in the areas of public safety, manufacturing and IoT," said BIF President T.V. Ramachandran.
"We expect this to form the bed-rock of commercial use cases built around 5G technology and will help accelerate the growth of our digital economy to meet the stated target of $1trillion by 2022 as enshrined in the National Digital Communications Policy 2018," Ramachandran added.
For charting a roadmap for the country's transition to 5G, the government last year set up the "High Level Forum for 5G India 2020" consisting of three ministries, industry stakeholders and experts from different organisation.
The BIF 5G Committee also aims to drive a comprehensive approach to spectrum, infrastructure policies, industry investment, and government support necessary to make India a front-runner in 5G deployment and use.
The government should allocate spectrum of low bands like 700 MHz, 850 MHz for better coverage of 5G technology and higher frequencies for high data rate communication, BIF, which has its head office in New Delhi, said.
The broadband group also announced that it will be formulating and releasing a "Request for Proposal" (RFP) by early August for 5G trials under the leadership of C S Rao, President, QuadGen Wireless Solutions Inc. and and the government's high-level 5G forum.
The purpose of the RFP will be to spell the scope of the trials and identify spectrum needs, topological requirements and other technical requirements, besides the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder.
The outcomes and feedback of these trials will then be provided to the government to help fine-tune policy aspects, BIF said, adding that the first set of these trials is expected to be completed by end of 2018 or early 2019.
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Stray dogs case: We will play video, ask you what is humanity, SC tells petitioner
New Delhi (PTI): Responding to a petitioner in the stray dogs case who objected to some rules framed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) saying "inhuman" treatment was being meted out to them, the Supreme Court on Thursday said a video will be played in the next hearing, "asking you what is humanity".
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is appearing in the stray dogs case, told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that a three-judge special bench which was scheduled to assemble on Thursday to hear the matter was cancelled.
"It will come on January 7," Justice Nath said.
Sibal said, "The problem is that the MCD, in the meantime, has framed some rules which are completely contrary.color:red;"
He urged the bench to hear the matter on Friday, saying authorities don't even have dog shelters. "It is very very inhuman what is being done," Sibal said.
Justice Mehta, in an apparent reference to the stray dog menace, said "On the next date, we will play a video for your benefit and we will ask you what is humanity," .
Sibal responded that they will also play a video to show what was happening.
"The problem is your lordships has passed an order and we respect that. But the point is, there are statutory rules," he said.
When the bench said it would consider the matter on January 7, Sibal said the authorities will implement the rules in December itself.
"They will be implementing it and they will be removing the dogs. They don't have shelters," he said.
Justice Nath said, "It is alright Mr Sibal. Let them do it, we will consider."
The bench said it would hear the matter on January 7.
On November 7, taking note of the "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, the apex court directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination.
A three-judge special bench had also said the stray dogs so picked up shall not be released back in the place they were picked up from.
The bench had directed the authorities to ensure the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from state highways, national highways and expressways.
It had said recurrence of dog bite incidents within institutional areas, including sports complexes, reflected not only administrative apathy but also a "systemic failure" to secure these premises from preventable hazards.
The top court had passed a slew of directions in the suo motu case over the stray dog menace.
It is hearing a suo motu case, initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital.
