Earlier this month, 5G telecommunication services were finally launched in India. Although, the availability of 5G signals is limited to a handful of cities and areas for now. But even in those areas, people using Apple and some Samsung smartphones cannot access the 5G network.
It was revealed that even though these Samsung phones have the required networking hardware to connect to 5G networks, the software is missing. To access 5G networks in India, Galaxy smartphones need a final software OTA update, and the Indian government is in talks with all major smartphone brands to prioritize the release of those software updates.
Samsung will release required OTA updates to its phones to access 5G networks in India in November 2022
Samsung India has now revealed that it is already working with the leading network operators (Airtel, Jio, and Vi) to test the software and that it will release the required OTA updates by mid-November 2022.
A Samsung India spokesperson said, “Samsung has pioneered 5G technology development since 2009 and took the leading role in standardizing 5G technology globally. In India, Samsung has the widest portfolio of 5G devices. We are working closely with our operator partners and are committed to rolling out OTA updates across all our 5G devices by mid-November 2022, enabling Indian consumers to experience 5G seamlessly.”
Airtel has launched 5G services in limited areas in eight cities across India, while Reliance Jio has thrown open its 5G network in four cities. Although all three leading network carriers have acquired the required spectrum for mmWave 5G, their services will primarily operate in the mid-band 5G spectrum.
Reliance Jio is the only operator with access to the low-band 5G spectrum. The company said that it would be the only brand to offer SA (Standalone) 5G services in India, while others will offer 5G via the NSA (Non-Standalone) technology. Notably, Airtel is using Samsung Networks' equipment for its 5G network rollout.