GMR group-run Delhi Airport on Thursday said it has made its facility compliant with 5G network, which the passengers can avail once these services are rolled out by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). Most airports at present provide wireless service primarily through Wi-Fi to passengers.

Wi-Fi relies on the unlicensed spectrum which is free for anyone to use, as per the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL). With the rise in passenger footfall, airports have witnessed a rise in demand for more bandwidth and faster speed for using gadgets like smartphones and laptops, among others.

Airlines and other airport stakeholders are also seeking fast, seamless and secure connectivity for their essential technologies to meet the demand, DIAL said, adding with the 5G network passengers will be able to enjoy a 20 times faster data speed over the available Wi-Fi system, it said. Such a network would allow them quicker downloads, zero buffering during streaming and seamless execution of resource-intensive applications, DIAL stated.

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Flyers having a 5G-enabled mobile phone set and sim card can experience a better signal strength, seamless connectivity and faster data speed at the domestic departure pier and international arrival baggage area at Terminal 3, and between T3 arrivals and multi-level car parking (MLCP), it stated. According to the private airport operator, the deployment across T3 would be covered in a phased manner.

Currently, a few of the TSPs have enabled their network to facilitate 5G service for their customers and expect other such service providers to connect in the next few weeks, it said. "The 5G network offers a faster speed and lower latency. At the airport, this feature of the next-generation mobile technology will help improve connection density and will also lead to greater efficiencies and aid in faster decision-making," Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO at DIAL.

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