On March 22, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a new mobile application called "Call before u dig" to prevent damage to underground assets such as optical fiber cables due to uncoordinated digging and excavation. The app is aimed at enhancing the goal of the prime minister's vision of integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects under the PM Gati Shakti national master plan. The Gati Shakti National Master Plan is an approach that enables integrated and synchronized implementation of projects.https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1638442899083005952The mobile app will connect excavators and asset owners through SMS/Email notifications and click-to-call so that there are planned excavations in the country while ensuring the safety of underground assets. The app is expected to save potential business loss and minimize discomfort to citizens due to reduced disruption in essential services such as road, telecom, water, gas, and electricity.The Prime Minister also inaugurated the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) area office and innovation center in India, unveiled the "Bharat 6G Vision Document," and launched the 6G R&D Test Bed. PM Modi expressed confidence in India's progress, saying that "within six months of 5G, we are already talking about 6G technology. This shows the confidence of India." India is expected to set up 100 5G labs in the coming years.The ITU is the United Nations' specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) and has a network of field offices, regional offices, and area offices. India signed a host country agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of an area office. India's ITU area office will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, and Iran.The Bharat 6G Vision Document was launched today and prepared by the Technology Innovation Group on 6G (TIG-6G) constituted in November 2021 with members from various ministries/departments, research and development institutions, academia, standardization bodies, Telecom Service Providers, and industry to develop a roadmap and action plans for 6G in India. The 6G Test bed will provide academic institutions, industry, start-ups, MSMEs, industry, among others, a platform to test and validate the evolving ICT technologies.In India, telecom service providers started providing high-speed 5G services in the country from October 2022 onwards. The government had issued spectrum allocation letters to telecom service providers in August 2022, asking them to prepare for the rollout of 5G services in the country. The Department of Telecom had received total bids worth Rs 1.50 lakh crore from the 5G spectrum auction.5G is the fifth-generation mobile network capable of transmitting a large data set at a very rapid speed. In comparison to 3G and 4G, 5G has very low latency which will enhance user experiences in various sectors. Low latency describes the efficiency of processing a very high volume of data messages with minimal delay.Download Call before u dig app from Play Store
