Purchasing a 5G smartphone in 2020 might be a bit ambitious because, firstly, 5G is still not available, and second, we’ve no words from telecom operators about their 5G plans. However, we may see 5G trials starting from 2021 and will finally take a year or two to land in consumers’ hands. But there’s a catch, you must understand that 5G is still not available in India, and whenever it comes, it might happen that your phone does not support those bands. It’s because the 5G spectrum comes in three different categories of bands: Low-band (600Mhz-700Mhz), Mid-band (2.5Ghz-3.7Ghz), and High-band (24Ghz-39Ghz). Hence, there are several options available for the auction of 5G bands that will be available in India. Also read: Jio: India’s Rising 5G Contender Currently, mid-range smartphones generally support very few 5G bands, whereas the flagships support more bands. So, let us suppose you buy a mid-range 5G phone in the hope that you can enjoy the 5G facility as soon as it is available in the country. However, it would not be worth it if your device does not support the 5G bands available in India. Since the auction for the 5G spectrum has not yet taken place, it can be assumed that it might take a while for 5G to be available in the country. We can expect 5G coverage to be as good as 4G, not before 2022.
Should you buy a 5G smartphone in 2020?
It would be too early to say anything about the current situation of 5G networks in India. Interestingly Chinese tech giants like Huawei and ZTE might not participate in 5G trials in the country. So Indian telecom operators would have to build their own 5G network infrastructure. All of these combined will end up in the consumer’s pockets, and from its look, it’s not hard to say 5G will cost even more than expected. But at least for now, you should choose a product based on your requirements and irrespective of the 4G or 5G!
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