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Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
World Telecom Day 2025: 5G networks, satcom to bring more women online in India, say executives
NEW DELHI: The rapid expansion of internet via ultra-fast fifth-generation ( 5G ) telecom networks, and the availability of satellite broadband, is poised to significantly bridge the digital divide in India over the coming years, and will particularly bring more women online, said industry executives on the occasion of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2025. World Telecom Day has been celebrated annually since May 17, 1969, marking the founding of the United Nations' telecom agency, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865. 'Gaps in access and affordability of the internet and digital devices, as well as limited digital skills, continue to hinder the participation of women and girls in today's economy and in shaping tomorrow's digital solutions. Bridging this divide is essential to unlocking new pathways for economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development,' the ITU said. According to the agency, this year's World Telecommunication and Information Society Day highlights the pressing need to advance digital gender equality, so that "women and girls everywhere can also benefit from and contribute to digital transformation". 'As India's telecom sector connects around 1.2 billion subscribers and expands 5G coverage to about 99.6% districts, it has become a powerful catalyst for digital inclusion and economic empowerment,' said SP Kochhar, director-general, Cellular Operators Association of India ( COAI ). The Delhi-based association represents Reliance Jio , Bharti Airtel , and Vodafone Idea (Vi). Led by telcos, affordable internet access has become available to millions of citizens, particularly in rural areas that have a prevalent digital divide, he said. 'The telecom sector is committed to working on localised campaigns, bringing women in the knowledge of what empowerment can be brought by the use of the internet,' Kochhar added. Bringing women online in India has been a major challenge due to factors such as socio-cultural norms and restrictions, linguistic hurdles, digital literacy and skills gap, monetary dependence, earlier school dropouts, and online safety concerns, as per experts. According to the 2024 Mobile Gender Gap report by GSMA, women in India are 12% less likely than men to have a mobile phone and less likely to make use of the mobile internet as well. With a market potential of approximately $263 million over the next five years for broadband connectivity in underserved areas, satellite communications (satcom) offers a viable solution to bridge the digital divide, said AK Bhatt, director-general of the Indian Space Association ( ISpA ). 'Satcom offers a viable solution to bridging the digital divide. Its ability to deliver reliable internet access will transform critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and governance, can really transform the quality of lives for women and girls, who are often the most excluded from digital access,' he said. Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released its much-awaited recommendations on the modalities for satcom spectrum, which includes the administrative allocation of satcom airwaves at a fee pegged at 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR), to be assigned for five years, which will pave the way for the commercial rollout of next-generation satellite internet services in India. 'With 5G rollouts and a future powered by 5G-Advanced and 6G, India is poised to lead the next wave of digital innovation. However, to truly unlock the potential of this transformation, we must ensure equitable access for all, especially women, so that our digital future is not only connected, but also inclusive,' said Tarun Chhabra, senior vice president & country head, Nokia India. READ MORE: WTD 2025: Bridging digital gender divide for inclusive future for India India's top two telecom incumbents, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, have already expanded their fifth-generation (5G) networks nationwide and are focused on driving monetisation of services. Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea (Vi), too, has recently joined the 5G race and will roll-out the commercial latest generation services in its 17 priority circles by August this year. Airtel Chief People Officer, Amrita Padda, at a virtual World Telecom Day event organised on Friday (May 16) by ETTelecom , said that the telecom carrier is committed to ensuring 50% women representation in its workforce, up from 18.5% currently. 'This World Telecommunication Day, we recognise that the true digital transformation starts with high-capacity fiber infrastructure – the backbone of 5G, IoT, and smart cities,' said Kunal Bajaj, CEO & co-founder, CloudExtel . 'With over 12,000 kilometers of fiber already deployed and ambitious plans to expand further, we are enabling the next generation of connectivity.' Bajaj added that fiber is the 'silent enabler', powering high-speed broadband to ultra-low latency 5G experiences. 'More importantly, it serves as a bridge connecting urban and rural India, ensuring equitable access to the digital economy for all,' he said. 'As a woman-founded company, we believe inclusive leadership is key to accelerating equitable digital transformation. Our work goes beyond boardrooms and technology stacks, it is about cultivating diverse talent, mentoring future leaders, and creating pathways for more women to shape the future of connectivity,' said Rajesh Mishra, co-founder & CEO, A5G Networks. READ MORE: WTD 2025: Bridging gender gaps in digital transformation 'Government initiatives such as the BharatNet project have played a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide, expanding high-speed broadband, and nurturing domestic innovation,' said Anku Jain, MD, MediaTek India. 'MediaTek is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. We remain dedicated to supporting the nation's digital ambitions by enabling seamless connectivity, cutting-edge innovation, and advancing gender equality in technology.' 'The telecom sector has witnessed one of the fastest 5G rollouts in recent times. These investments are expected to fuel market expansion, accelerate technological adoption across industries and enable a bigger societal impact,' said Nittin Arora, partner, Grant Thornton Bharat. 'World Telecommunication Day is a reminder of how vital connectivity is in shaping an inclusive and sustainable digital future. We believe that telecom networks must go beyond speed to build trust, secure identities, and empower every individual,' said Sachin Arora, head (connectivity & IoT), India, Giesecke+Devrient. 'The urban-rural digital divide remains a significant barrier to inclusive growth. While cities rapidly adopt digital technologies, many rural communities remain on the fringes, limited by infrastructure gaps, low digital literacy, and a lack of access to relevant services,' said Vynsley Fernandes, whole-time director, HGS & CEO, NXTDIGITAL Media Group. Fernandes added that addressing the digital divide needs integrated digital platforms that combine access, content, and services in a seamless, scalable manner.
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Business Standard
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Telecom sector sees strong fresher hiring intent for 1st half of 2025: Rpt
The Indian telecom sector is seeing stable workforce demand, with 45 per cent of companies surveyed indicating fresher hiring intent for the first half of 2025, according to a latest report. The TeamLease EdTech Career Outlook Report (January-June 2025), which surveyed 649 companies across India, revealed that telecom remains a significant employment generator as the sector transitions to 5G networks, cloud-native architecture, and enhanced cyber resilience. The telecom roles are blending with IT and data functions, creating hybrid job profiles that didn't exist a few years ago, the report noted. While the sector witnessed a marginal decline from the 48 per cent freshers hiring intent reported in the previous half-year (July-December 2024), the momentum remains robust, driven by demand for specialised roles. "As the world marks World Telecom Day, the Indian telecom sector continues its stable trajectory in workforce demand, with 45 per cent freshers hiring intent projected for the first half of 2025," it said. Delhi (49 per cent), Ahmedabad (41 per cent) and Coimbatore (35 per cent) have recorded the highest demand for Radio Frequency (RF) engineers. Network Security Analysts have the highest demand in Bangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur at 48 per cent, 43 per cent, and 38 per cent, respectively. Field Technical Engineers' roles are required in Hyderabad (55 per cent), Kolkata (48 per cent) and Indore (43 per cent). Pune (44 per cent) stood out for its focus on Junior DevOps Engineers, followed by Gurugram (40 per cent) and Kochi (35 per cent). Among other cities, Chennai at 51 per cent, Nagpur at 45 per cent and Chandigarh at 37 per cent recorded the highest demand for Cloud Network Engineers. "Freshers can find varied opportunities in the sector, but with domain-specific skills, particularly in network security, cloud computing, and DevOps. Certifications in RF Wireless Engineering, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Network Architecture have become increasingly relevant," it said. Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease Edtech said, although the sector is expanding, employers are not just hiring to scale operations, but to future-proof their networks. "They wish to future-proof their networks with specialised talent. This is where freshers with targeted certifications in RF, cybersecurity, and cloud ecosystems stand out," Rooj said. The telecom roles are blending with IT and data functions, creating hybrid job profiles that didn't exist a few years ago. "It's a signal for academic institutions to realign curriculum and for aspirants to skill up with agility," according to TeamLease. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Fresher hiring intent in India's telecom sector at 45% in 1H25
New Delhi: The Indian telecom sector continues its stable trajectory in workforce demand, with fresher hiring intent standing at 45% in the first half of 2025, according to a report on Thursday. The report (based on HY1, that is, January-June 2025) by TeamLease EdTech showed that telecom remains a significant employment generator as the sector rapidly transitions to 5G networks, cloud-native architecture, and enhanced cyber resilience. While the sector witnessed a marginal decline from the 48% freshers hiring intent reported in the previous half-year (July-December 2024), the momentum remains robust, driven by demand for specialised roles like radiofrequency (RF) engineers, network security analysts, and field technical engineers. Cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Hyderabad Kolkata, and Indore are seeing a high demand for these roles. Freshers can find varied opportunities in the sector but with domain-specific skills, particularly in network security, cloud computing , and DevOps. Essential tech tools like project management software and task-tracking platforms are also considered vital by employers to streamline complex network deployment and management functions. "Though the sector is expanding, employers are not just hiring to scale operations. They wish to future-proof their networks with specialized talent. This is where freshers with targeted certifications in RF, cybersecurity, and cloud ecosystems stand out," said Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO of TeamLease Edtech. "We're also seeing telecom roles blend with IT and data functions, creating hybrid job profiles that didn't exist a few years ago. It's a signal for academic institutions to realign curriculum and for aspirants to skill up with agility," Rooj added. Besides technical skills, aspirants also need to focus on associated soft skills, including analytical reasoning, adaptability, and interpersonal communication. The report comes ahead of World Telecom Day, observed every year on May 17, to increase global awareness about the societal changes brought by the internet and new technologies.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
TEECL launches digital infra arm; outlays $1 bn for data centres, partners RailTel, ET Telecom
World Telecom Day 2025 This year, as the world celebrates gender equality in digital transformation on the occasion of 'World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD)' on May 17, we will put a spotlight on the critical role women play in the rapidly evolving r
