MC EXCLUSIVE Indian telcos must monetise 5G first, even as 6G research gains momentum: GSMA chief

Do you think 6G is being overhyped, as Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm has said, suggesting real value still lies in 5G?

I tend to agree — the priority right now should indeed be realising the full potential of 5G. So far, most 5G rollouts worldwide have been non-standalone, meaning they essentially provide enhanced mobile broadband with more spectrum much like 4G. That’s what most users are currently experiencing with 5G.

However, the true promise of 5G lies in the network services embedded within the standard itself. Standards are developed at the intersection of new technologies — like IP innovations and radio systems — and new use cases. The vision for 5G, especially from a technology development standpoint, focused heavily on B2B applications. For instance, how do you reliably automate factories using wireless technologies? How do you implement network slicing to allow different applications to get the bandwidth and latency required, such as instant payments or high-speed downloads?

All these features exist in the 5G standard but in many parts of the world, they haven’t been widely rolled out or operationalised yet. So, as Börje Ekholm said, the priority remains unlocking the full potential of 5G, which includes several advanced features still waiting to be deployed globally.

That said, discussions around 6G have begun, following the traditional standardisation process. At this stage, it’s about exploring ideas to improve technology. R&D labs, vendors, and innovators are suggesting concepts that might lead to better mobile network performance but technology must meet actual user needs. There’s no point developing something that has no practical application.

This is why I'm so focused on fully utilising 5G first. Technologies must be tested, deployed, and understood before determining what’s missing or what should be improved in 6G. For example, in China, 5G and even 5G Advanced are already being rolled out extensively, and they’re starting to see benefits across industrial sectors.

So, I wouldn’t lose sleep over whether 6G happens by a certain date. 6G is clearly a technology for the 2030s, and thanks to the depth of capabilities already embedded in the full 5G stack, its transition may be more gradual and continuous.

How do you see India's collaborative approach toward global 6G standardisation?

As director general of the GSMA, my core mission is to ensure that we maintain a global standard, not just because it sounds good but because history shows it works.

Think about this: Would we have 7 billion mobile users globally if we had fragmented standards during the 4G era? Absolutely not. The fact that 1 billion users in China and another 1 billion in India were able to connect using the same global standard enabled massive economies of scale. This unified approach allowed the best technology from North America, Europe, and Asia to converge and meet the largest global demands.

Let’s not forget the magic of interoperability, we take for granted that we can use a single phone anywhere in the world, turn it on, receive messages, and stream content. Fragmenting the standard would be a huge step backwards for humanity.

So yes, I strongly advocate for a global approach, where the best ideas from across the world come together to form standards that improve lives universally. That’s how we create an ecosystem that supports billions of users and fosters affordable devices and innovation.

India's current approach — contributing ideas, IP, and technologies through its vibrant scientific and technological community — is absolutely essential. The best ideas should become the global standard and those contributing will naturally reap the benefits through licensing, production opportunities and influence.

However, the key is that these contributions must integrate into a global standard that serves 7 billion people, not just 1 billion. So yes, India’s current collaborative and global mindset toward 6G development is exactly the right path forward. It's about putting good ideas on the table, ensuring they’re widely adopted, and benefiting India's entire ecosystem.

Telcos have complained about the absence of relevant 5G use cases, which is stopping them from achieving a return on investment (ROI). How do you see the use-case journey in the Indian market ?

This is exactly where GSMA plays a relevant role. We see a range of beneficial 5G use cases globally, and we actively work to share those with our members. Indian operators are very engaged members of the GSMA, and we hope to support them in this journey.

It is a journey, and, usually, it takes time. Most 5G use cases involve collaboration beyond just telecom operators. You need to work with industrial players, system integrators, and most importantly, enterprise customers who must roll out new factory systems, applications, or digital infrastructure. That’s fundamentally different from 4G.

With 4G, the focus was on mobile broadband, so once compatible devices became affordable, the consumer market adopted them quickly. With 5G, while the consumer cycle will also evolve, more affordable 5G phones will gradually penetrate the base — the real value lies in enterprise adoption and rolling out new, integrated solutions, and that naturally takes longer.

How do you see the structure of the Indian telecom industry?

The Indian market is highly buoyant. There is strong demand and rapid technology adoption. We have a few significant players and while I won’t comment on individual operators — since I represent an industry association and it would be inappropriate — what’s clear is that the market structure in India allows operators to invest.

Yes, Vodafone Idea has faced legacy issues such as those related to AGR but if you look at Airtel and Reliance Jio, they have invested very actively and strongly in these technologies. This shows a certain degree of health in the sector. 5G adoption is rising quickly, and we’re seeing innovations directly impacting consumers.

For example, I looked at Bharti’s recent announcement on anti-scam and anti-fraud initiatives. GSMA is highly motivated to work in this area because we believe people need to feel safe when using mobile internet and want to help prevent them from being scammed.

India is also involved in the Open Gateway initiative. All three major operators have signed the MoU and begun working on it but there’s still much more value to be unlocked here. We are closely collaborating with them to support this effort.

What’s particularly noteworthy is that India’s market structure enables investment, and not all regions worldwide can say the same. Yes, prices in India are highly competitive — among the lowest globally — but operators can still invest despite that. That tells you the model is working, especially for the Indian consumer.

How do you see SATCOM’s role in the country, especially with players like Starlink and Kuiper looking to enter the market?

My fundamental belief — crucial for a healthy business environment — is that there should be fairness in the rules. If you're providing similar services, the rules should be the same. If satellite operators offer telecom-like services to customers, there’s no justification for mobile operators to face more stringent regulations, taxation, and legal obligations than satellite providers. It’s not just a regulatory issue, it’s an ethical principle. It's about ensuring a level playing field.

Each technology has its strengths and serves customers differently. India has an extensive and well-developed mobile network, both in rural and urban areas. Operators like Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have systematically built this infrastructure, starting with 2G and now effectively rolling out 5G.

So, it’s not that India lacks terrestrial telecom infrastructure. That said, satellites have unique advantages, especially for underserved or remote regions. They’re an excellent tool to help bridge the coverage gap. Globally, about 96 percent of the population is covered by terrestrial mobile networks, which still leaves 4 percent of the people without access. For those communities, satellite can be a lifeline, supporting safety, emergency services, and critical communication in disaster-hit areas where terrestrial networks may not be operational.

Satellite undoubtedly brings resilience and fills specific coverage gaps. However, satellite services are still more expensive than terrestrial ones. As a result, they are not a realistic solution for addressing the usage gap, which is less about coverage and more about affordability. The usage gap affects 3 billion people who already have mobile coverage but aren’t using mobile internet. Connecting them isn’t about satellite — it’s about providing affordable smartphones, data plans, and digital literacy.

In short, satellite and terrestrial technologies are complementary. Both need to thrive, but they must do so fairly and equally. That’s the conversation we want to encourage.

How do you see Indian telcos’ fair share demand from OTT service providers?

If we step back a bit, do the content and services provided by OTT players make our networks more valuable and relevant? Absolutely. People consume these services because they enjoy them, which drives the need for smartphones, subscriptions, and data plans. So, this isn’t a “telcos vs. OTT” issue, it’s about ensuring fair returns across the ecosystem.

Here’s the key: 85 percent of the total investment in the digital ecosystem comes from mobile operators. That’s where the bulk of the money goes — into network infrastructure, spectrum, maintenance, etc. Yes, OTT players are also making investments, setting up data centres, deploying servers, and building international connectivity but the operators are laying the foundation.

It’s in everyone’s interest to ensure this system is sustainable. Operators need enough incentive and return to fund the enormous investments required to keep the digital ecosystem running and growing. So if we want this model to work for everyone, including consumers and content providers, everyone must contribute.

One significant positive outcome of the fair share debate is the improved dialogue between OTT players and telcos. There’s more discussion about optimising network usage, like ensuring video traffic is compressed efficiently and bandwidth isn’t unnecessarily consumed. That kind of collaboration is essential.

Governments, too, have a stake in this. Funding will be required if they want to bring more people online and bridge the usage gap. So, if all stakeholders — OTT players, telcos, regulators — can contribute, a more robust ecosystem will be created.

South Korea has taken a clear position on this. India is right to consider it, too, especially given how much content its population consumes — covering a country as large and complex as India requires massive investments, which warrants a national conversation about ensuring long-term sustainability.

This isn’t unique to India. The debate also lives in Brazil, Europe, and elsewhere. The fundamental question remains everywhere: how do we sustain and grow the system so that new technologies can keep coming?

What are the new trends in the telecom industry?

The telecom industry has never been as important to society as it is today, becoming more essential year after year. Why? Because more and more applications are emerging. AI is coming in and people need telecom networks to access AI. We're also seeing new technologies that expand coverage, especially for emergency services and underserved areas, like satellite connectivity.

A lot is happening in this sector and we’ve become indispensable to people’s lives. Governments rely on us to develop digital services for citizens. That’s a strong point and a reason to feel enthusiastic and optimistic — we serve 7 billion people. It’s a good place to be.

That said, there are still some challenges we need to address. First, there’s the usage gap. We often overlook that around 3 billion people globally have mobile coverage but don’t access the internet. There are many reasons for this: affordability of handsets, cultural concerns or fears about the internet, language barriers, and lack of localised or relevant content. These users may not find the internet valuable or accessible. Addressing this usage gap is front and centre in our priorities.

Another key area is fully utilising the investments already made in networks — what we refer to as realising the full potential of 5G, especially 5G Advanced, which is now rolling out. India is one of the countries taking the lead in this. The latest numbers I saw showed over 460,000 5G-enabled base stations in India. That’s a substantial figure and shows that Indian operators are not only adopting the technology but also mastering and leading its implementation.

However, now, the focus needs to shift from mobile broadband to the broader capabilities of 5G like network slicing, edge computing, and the upcoming RedCap (reduced capability) solutions for IoT devices. There are significant enterprise applications, too, and the entire ecosystem should start adopting them.

Finally, a major programme we are driving is the Open Gateway initiative. It enables telecom networks to expose APIs to developers, allowing apps to integrate network-based features like anti-fraud, identity verification, and on-demand quality of service. The industry still has a lot of room to grow and innovate in these areas.