India is on the brink of a telecommunications transformation, with Reduced Capability (RedCap) technology poised to democratise 5G connectivity across various sectors. BW Businessworld had an exclusive one on one conversation with Gautam Sheoran, Qualcomm’s VP in charge of RedCap technology. He believes that RedCap will be essential to truly democratising 5G technology in India. This advancement, alongside the integration of millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, and MultiLink technology, promises to enhance the nation's digital infrastructure.
RedCap: Making 5G Accessible
RedCap, or Reduced Capability, is a streamlined version of 5G designed for devices that don't require the full bandwidth of traditional networks. Gautam Sheoran, Vice President and General Manager of Wireless Broadband & Communications at Qualcomm, explains that RedCap offers peak downlink speeds of approximately 220 megabits per second and uplink speeds around 100 megabits per second. This simplification leads to more affordable and energy-efficient devices, broadening 5G's reach.
"RedCap is perfect for devices like wearables, connected cameras, and entry-tier broadband devices," Sheoran notes. "It brings 5G to new device categories, including AR and VR glasses, over time."
So with Qualcomm’s focus in the XR space, even devices like Orion will gain the advantage of technologies like RedCap explains Sheoran.
By reducing the complexity of 5G chipsets, RedCap enables the production of cost-effective devices without compromising essential 5G features. This affordability extends to the automotive sector, where RedCap can facilitate 5G connectivity in vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs) priced under Rs 10 Lakhs.
"There's a lot of connectivity in cars and EVs, much of it currently on LTE," Sheoran observes. "At some point, it's going to move to 5G, either broadband 5G or RedCap."
mmWave: Boosting Network Capacity
The integration of mmWave spectrum, particularly in the 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands, is poised to significantly enhance India's 5G capabilities. This high-frequency spectrum offers unprecedented data speeds and low latency, essential for bandwidth-intensive applications. Sheoran highlights that mmWave can provide up to 10 gigabits per second, far surpassing previous technologies like WiMAX which back in the late 2000s made the promise of wireless broadband before Qualcomm backed LTE took over the world.
"In dense urban environments, mmWave can bounce off reflective surfaces, ensuring connectivity even without direct line of sight," he explains. This adaptability makes mmWave particularly suitable for India's densely populated cities, where traditional fibre connections may be challenging to deploy.
The deployment of mmWave spectrum is expected to address the escalating demand for data in urban centres. As data consumption continues to grow, the sub-6 GHz spectrum may become insufficient, necessitating the adoption of mmWave to provide the required bandwidth.
“You’re capped at 5 right now. So, once that's exhausted, there’s no way to go except up. And up is millimeter wave, right? We have been talking to our partners. Definitely, Qualcomm has been a big proponent of millimeter wave because there’s no way to go except for millimeter wave. We think, over time, that millimeter wave is a real technology for broadband in India,” he said.
Gautam Sheoran, Vice President and General Manager of Wireless Broadband & Communications at Qualcomm
Synergy with LEO Satellites
The deployment of LEO satellites by companies such as Starlink, Jio, Airtel, and Amazon introduces an additional layer to India's connectivity framework. While LEO satellites are ideal for providing broadband in remote and rural areas, they complement terrestrial networks rather than replace them. Sheoran asserts that in urban areas with high user density, terrestrial solutions like RedCap and mmWave are more appropriate.
"I don't think satellite is going to replace everything that you have in terrestrial broadband," Sheoran states. "Satellite is great for rural areas and very far-flung areas, but in urban areas where you have a very high density of users, it may not be the right solution."
Sheoran believes mmWav is an ideal solution for India especially in urban areas and the average cell site being very small, which eliminates the issue of line of sight.
“India is so dense—there are so many people per square kilometer, and so many homes and businesses, the average cell site is very small, let’s say, 250-300 meters inter-site distance, right? So line of sight is not a problem.
Also, what we have seen with mmWave in our trials around the world is that in a dense urban environment, mmWave can bounce off glass windows and shiny objects. So, you don’t have to really be line of sight. As long as there are reflective surfaces, you will get connectivity,” Sheoran added while conceding that it was more challenging than sub-6 5G but he didn’t foresee it to be a major issue.
MultiLink Technology: Enhancing Connectivity
MultiLink technology, also known as multi-connectivity, allows devices to maintain simultaneous connections across multiple networks or frequency bands. This capability enhances reliability, increases data throughput, and ensures seamless transitions between different network types.
In the context of 5G, MultiLink enables devices to connect concurrently to 5G and LTE networks, optimising performance and coverage. For instance, a device can utilise 5G's high-speed capabilities while relying on LTE for broader coverage, ensuring consistent connectivity even when 5G signals are weak or unavailable.
This approach is particularly beneficial in urban environments with dense networks and in scenarios requiring high reliability, such as autonomous vehicles and critical IoT applications.
RedCap in Wi-Fi Base Stations and Affordable Laptops
RedCap's influence extends to Wi-Fi base stations and affordable laptops, such as Chromebooks. By integrating RedCap technology, Wi-Fi base stations can offer enhanced connectivity with reduced latency and improved efficiency, benefiting both residential and enterprise users. In the realm of affordable laptops, RedCap enables devices like Chromebooks to incorporate 5G connectivity without significantly increasing costs. This integration facilitates seamless internet access for educational purposes and remote work, particularly in areas lacking robust Wi-Fi infrastructure.
“What I like to say is that there are educational Chromebooks that are very popular in the US, Japan, and other markets. They currently have LTE, and they don't need gigabit speed; they just need a couple of megabits per second.
So, 5G RedCap is perfect for that, right? These Chromebook devices are priced under $300, less than $400. They don’t want a very expensive solution. There are connected cameras, entry-tier broadband devices, dongles, and other kinds of devices. So that's what RedCap is about—bringing 5G to new device categories,” added Sheoran.
In fact, the TCL LINKKEY IK511 is one of the world’s first 3GPP R17 5G RedCap USB dongle powered by Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System which in the US costs less than $100. Imagine more devices like this will propel India faster into the age of ubiquitous connectivity as this could be part of a smart TV, Wi-Fi base station, affordable laptop or wearables or XR devices apart from IoT.
