Airtel and Reliance Jio customers using certain iPhone models can use the Beta Software Program to access the new spectrum
Photo: AP
Next week, tech giant Apple will roll out much-awaited software upgrades for 5G users in India.
The service will be made available as Apple pushes out its iOS 16 Beta software update.
India announced the launch of 5G services on October 1.
Airtel and Reliance Jio customers on any of the iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (3rd generation) models can use Apple's Beta Software Program to access 5G services.
The Apple Beta Software Program is open to anyone with a valid Apple ID who accepts the Apple Beta Software Program Agreement during the sign-up process.
The beta program also lets users try out pre-released software and experience the latest features before its full-scale release.
The users are invited to provide feedback to Apple on quality and usability, which helps Apple identify issues, fix them, and make Apple's software even better.
Apple said that both the program and software are free for iPhone users. This program is completely voluntary, and there is no compensation for participation.
Earlier in October, in a statement to ANI, Apple had said:
"We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance is completed."
"5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December," it added in the statement.
This move by the iPhone maker apparently comes after the Department of Telecom and the Ministry of Information Technology pushed mobile phone makers and telecom operators to update 5G-related software in their devices, and putting in place the requisite infrastructure for faster roll-out of upgraded telecom services.
On October 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 5G services at the 6th India Mobile Congress held at Delhi's Pragati Maidan.
The central government intends to cover 5G services across the country within 2 years, said Union Electronics and Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently at an event.
In mid-August, the government issued spectrum allocation letters to telecom service providers while asking them to prepare for the roll-out of 5G services.
Back in October, Bharti Airtel had also said it had launched "Airtel 5G Plus" services in eight cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur and Varanasi — and would cover all of urban India in 2023.
Reliance Jio has also announced it would launch high-speed 5G telecom services by Diwali this year, in multiple key cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
Subsequently, these network providers intend to expand their 5G network to cities and villages across the country by December 2023, which is less than 18 months from now.
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