India’s DoT Teams Up with IITs for 6G Technology Development
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India is enhancing its efforts to develop indigenous 6G technology. The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a telecom R&D center of DoT, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee and IIT Mandi to develop ‘Cell-Free’ 6G Access Points.
This 6G project will focus on creating Access Points (APs) for the upcoming 6G radio access networks. It aims to contribute to 6G standardization, drive commercialization, generate intellectual property rights (IPRs), and develop a skilled workforce to support the emerging 6G landscape.
Under this initiative, funding and support will be provided to domestic companies, Indian startups, academia, and R&D institutions involved in the design, development, and commercialization of telecommunication products and solutions. The scheme aims to enable affordable broadband and mobile services, playing a significant role in bridging the digital divide across India.
According to the Ministry, the agreement is part of the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme of the Department of Telecommunications. Traditional mobile networks use cellular topologies where each cell is serviced by a single base station. ‘Cell-Free’ Massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) eliminates the concept of cells and cell boundaries by deploying several APs across a vast region to serve many user devices simultaneously. This ensures ubiquitous connectivity, eliminates dead zones, enhances signal strength, and significantly boosts data speeds, offering an exceptional user experience even in densely populated areas.
Doubts Revealed
DoT -: DoT stands for the Department of Telecommunications. It is a part of the Indian government that looks after telecommunication services in the country.
IITs -: IITs are the Indian Institutes of Technology. They are prestigious engineering and technology schools in India.
6G Technology -: 6G is the next generation of wireless technology that will be faster and more efficient than 5G, which is currently being used.
Cell-Free 6G Access Points -: These are special spots that allow devices to connect to the 6G network without being tied to a specific cell tower, making the connection smoother and more reliable.
6G Radio Access Networks -: These are the parts of the 6G network that connect your phone or device to the internet and other services.
6G Standardization -: This means creating rules and guidelines to ensure that 6G technology works the same way everywhere.
Commercialization -: This means making products and services available for people to buy and use.
Digital Divide -: This is the gap between people who have access to modern technology and the internet and those who do not.
Broadband -: Broadband is a high-speed internet connection that allows you to use the internet quickly and efficiently.
R&D Institutions -: R&D stands for Research and Development. These institutions focus on creating new technologies and improving existing ones.