The Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development informed the Rajya Sabha that 5G services have been rolled out in all States and Union Territories, covering 99.9% of districts across the country, supported by large-scale deployment of 5G Base Transceiver Stations and policy reforms to strengthen digital infrastructure, service quality, innovation, and network security.
Infrastructure and Connectivity Status
Widespread Reach: 5G services are operational in all States/UTs, covering 99.9% of districts and over 1.12 lakh villages.
BTS Density: A total of 5.18 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed by TSPs as of year-end 2025.
Performance Surge: The median mobile broadband speed has witnessed a substantial jump, reaching 131.47 Mbps in late 2025.
Innovation and Capacity Building:
5G Use Case Labs: 100 dedicated labs established across colleges to promote R&D in sectors like education, health, and agriculture using AI and Blockchain.
5G Innovation Hackathon 2025: Launched to incentivize startups and students to develop advanced technological solutions for domestic challenges.
Academia-Industry Linkage: Initiatives are specifically designed to strengthen the startup ecosystem and foster industry-ready technical talent.
Regulatory and Security Reforms:
Facilitating Rollout: Rationalization of Bank Guarantees, interest rates, and the simplification of SACFA clearances have lowered the barrier for telecom service providers.
Quality Benchmarks: TRAI’s revised 2024 regulations ensure that the surge in connectivity is matched by high-quality, reliable internet services.
Cyber Resilience: Adoption of Indian Telecom Security Assurance Requirements (ITSARs) ensures that 5G network functions are procurements from verified, trusted sources.
Policy Relevance
Infrastructural Transformation: Rapid 5G deployment has led to the installation of 5.18 lakh Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs), achieving 85% population coverage across 99.9% of Indian districts.
Academic-Industry Synergy: The establishment of 100 5G Use Case Labs in educational institutions integrates AI and blockchain to foster a robust startup ecosystem and socio-economic innovation.
Ease of Doing Business: Strategic financial reforms, including the rationalization of AGR and the launch of the GatiShakti Sanchar portal, have streamlined the rollout process and reduced compliance burdens.
Network Integrity and Security: Implementation of the Trusted Telecom framework and Communication Security Certification (ComSec) ensures that 5G infrastructure is resilient and procured from verified sources.
Quality of Service (QoS) Benchmarks: Adoption of revised 2024 regulations ensures high-speed data reliability (median 131.47 Mbps) while balancing security with technological innovation.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the Ministry of Communications leverage the 1.12 lakh 5G-enabled villages to drive digital inclusion in precision agriculture and remote healthcare by 2030?
Follow the full news here: Measures to promote development of applications over 5G networks
Expansion and Status of 5G Services
