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In one of the largest technology transfer agreements from academia in the country, a 5G RAN (Radio Access Network) technology has been licenced to a multinational conglomerate company for INR 120 million (US$ 1.4 million). The technology was developed by a multi-institutional team, including researchers from the Indian Institutes of Technology in Madras and Kanpur and the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER).
The three institutes developed a ‘5G RAN sub-system’ at the 5G Test Bed and are jointly licencing it to a company that will leverage the technology for further advancements and commercial applications. The company will be paying a transfer of technology (ToT) non-exclusive licence fee in multiple instalments, contingent upon achieving specific technical milestones.
Indigenously developed through a collaborative project involving eight institutes and funding from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the 5G Test Bed was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022. Since its inauguration, the test bed has been extensively used by both industry and academia to test emerging 5G products and explore various use cases. It has been developing a 5G prototype and testing platform under the guidance of IIT-Madras faculty.
At the 5G Test Bed, the hardware, firmware, and software are being developed for the 5G base station in India. This base station forms the RAN segment of the broader 5G system. Functionally, the base station is linked to the core network through an IP network on one side, while it connects with user equipment such as cell phones on the radio side.
IIT-Kanpur researchers have been instrumental in the creation of the cutting-edge indigenous 5G Test Bed, particularly through their contributions to the development of the Baseband Unit (BBU) for the 5G NR base station at the institute. It has also been actively involved in designing state-of-the-art 5G hardware and algorithms for the test bed.
Meanwhile, SAMEER played a crucial role in constructing active MIMO and massive MIMO antennas, along with fully integrated mmWave phased arrays, operating in the FR1 (Sub 6 GHz) and FR2 (mmWave) bands, respectively.
As per an industry expert, the knowledge sharing of fully functional 5G RAN technology by the three institutes represents a groundbreaking accomplishment in the effort to establish a secure 5G eco-space within the telecom sector.
This achievement sets a new benchmark in industry-academia collaboration within India’s high-technology sector. A representative from the company noted that as the leading research and development-driven telecom products company in India, they anticipate translating these cutting-edge innovations and seamlessly integrating them into industry-leading products and solutions for both the domestic and international markets.
IIT-Madras Director, Kamakoti, stated that the initiative is in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision. This is an example of how translational research should take place in an inter-institutional, inter-disciplinary manner. He said that it serves as a noteworthy illustration of how research should transition into a product and be deployed.
As per a recent industry report, by the end of this year, India is projected to reach a total of 130 million 5G users, marking a significant surge within just over a year since the roll-out of consumer 5G services in the country. The 5G user base in India has more than tripled from last year. It is anticipated that it will further rise to 860 million subscribers by 2029.
