Jyotiraditya Scindia Inaugurates C-DOT 5G Lab at Gauhati University to Boost Telecom Innovation

Gauhati: Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Communications and North Eastern Region, inaugurated the 5G Lab developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) at the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), Gauhati University today. This significant step marks India’s advancement in telecommunications, especially with the widespread adoption and deployment of 5G technology.

India has made remarkable strides in its telecommunications sector, highlighted by the successful rollout of indigenous 4G/5G stacks developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. This achievement, according to Minister Scindia, paves the way for new use cases for 5G and further development of 6G technology in the country.

Addressing the gathering, Scindia stressed that the establishment of cost-effective 5G test labs at universities and engineering colleges is crucial for fostering innovation in the sector. He emphasized the importance of enabling engineering colleges to stay current with emerging technologies like 5G and 6G, and highlighted the need for affordable solutions to accelerate 6G research and development (R&D). C-DOT’s low-cost 5G testbed solution will provide students, faculty, and researchers with hands-on experience and serve as a foundation for future advancements.

The 5G Test Lab at Gauhati University will provide students, researchers, and faculty with a unique opportunity to gain practical insights into the 5G system, as well as deepen their understanding of 3GPP specifications for 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G Core networks. It will also support the exploration of new 5G use cases and applications and help build a foundation for the development of 6G technologies, contributing to India’s efforts in generating Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

The C-DOT 5G University solution includes components such as gNodeB (radio), Core Network, and IMS. The system features Centralized Units (CU), Distributed Units (DU), and Radio Units (RU), and comes equipped with an Element Management System (EMS) to manage and configure various 5G units. A technical manual is also provided, enabling students to configure the system in multiple ways for a deeper understanding of 5G network architecture.

In his address, Jyotiraditya Scindia stated, “The 5G use case lab will proliferate the capability of our country to spread education, take telemedicine and healthcare to the last village, and more. I have great belief in the young talent of this country, which will spearhead change and innovation. Such test labs will be invaluable for the youth to excel across multiple domains and lead India’s technological future.”

Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta, Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University, expressed his gratitude to the Minister and the C-DOT team, praising the university’s role in advancing higher education and technological innovation. He emphasized that this partnership would foster research and development in the region, enhancing innovation and excellence in academia.

Professor Dr. Kandarpa Kumar Sarma, Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) at Gauhati University, highlighted the C-DOT 5G Lab’s importance in enabling students and faculty to familiarize themselves with 5G technology. He noted that the 5G testbed solution and training programs offered by C-DOT engineers would help students gain practical exposure and prepare them for future technological advancements, particularly in 6G development.

Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO of C-DOT, expressed his sincere thanks to Scindia for his support and encouragement in the development of the low-cost 5G test lab. He assured that C-DOT would continue to work closely with engineering colleges across the country to establish 5G test labs and support the development and scalability of indigenous telecom technologies.