PM Narendra Modi on Satuday rolled out 5G services in India at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. 

Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and billionaires Mukesh Ambani of Reliance, Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Airtel and Kumar Mangalam Birla of Vodafone Idea were present at the event. 

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Here are highlights from the event:

Cabinet minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke about how telecom is critical to India’s growth

“PM Modi is launching 5G services. In the history of telecom, today would be recorded in golden letters. Telecom is the gateway, foundation of Digital India,” the cabinet minister said. 

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Mukesh Ambani: India may have started late, but we’ll finish first

“Very proud of what we’ve demonstrated. To COAI (Cellular Operators Assn of India) & DoT (Dept of Telecom), I can say we’re ready to take leadership&Indian Mobile Congress should now become Asian Mobile Congress & Global Mobile Congress,”  Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani said. 

“5G is much more than the next generation of connectivity technology. To my mind,it’s foundational technology that unlocks full potential of other 21st century technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of things, Robotics, Blockchain & Metaverse,” he added.

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Sunil Bharti Mittal: A new era is about to begin

Bharti Airtel is launching 5G telecom services in eight cities, including four metros, on Saturday and will progressively cover the entire country by March 2024, its chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said.

Speaking at the IMC 2022, he said the nation’s oldest private telecom operator is launching 5G mobile services in eight major cities and will cover most parts by March 2023 and the entire country by March 2024.

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“It’s an important day. A new era is about to begin. This beginning is taking place in 75th yr of independence & will begin a new awareness,energy in the country. It’ll open several new opportunities for people,” Sunil Bharti Mittal, Bharti Enterprises founder-chairman, said. 

Kumar Mangalam: It’ll set stage for country to become 5 trillion dollar economy

“Telecom industry will further ignite digital dreams of 1.3 billion Indians and thousands of enterprises. It’ll set stage for country to become 5 trillion dollar economy in next 3 years with a trillion dollar contribution,” Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla Group, said.