NEW DELHI: The rise of 5G services in the Indian market will bring about a paradigm shift and open up more opportunities for everyone in the digital segment, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said Friday. India’s first 5G field trials are expected to begin from next month. 

A 5G spectrum auction is also set to be held in the second half of the year, with regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) recommending bidding for about 8,644 MHz of telecom frequencies, including those for 5G services, at an estimated total base price of `4.9 lakh crore. 
“This (5G) is going to be another big paradigm shift that is going to happen,” Sundararajan said at the

IAMAI India Digital Summit here, adding that while 5G services may not offer 1,000 times faster data, it will bring in low latency and ultra high speed broadband. “People are gearing up for the next big paradigm that is about to come. All this will open up even more opportunities for everyone working in the digital space,” she added.

Industry players, however, have said the 5G auction should be deferred for now given the financial stress burdening the sector and demanded lowering the price for the airwaves.