Understanding the challenges of 5G deployment in India

PurposeThis study aims to understand the challenges of 5G deployment in India from the perspectives of telecom operators. These challenges are also mapped to different contexts within the technological-organizational-environmental (TOE) framework. Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a qualitative approach comprising in-depth semi-structured interviews of employees working in telecom companies in India. Thematic analysis is used to analyse the qualitative data. FindingsThe author has identified nine challenges that are categorized under three dimensions of the TOE framework. Specifically, the findings indicate three technological challenges: hardware/device challenges, security concerns and limited use cases; two organization challenges: financial challenges and lack of skilled workforce; and four environmental challenges: inadequate infrastructure, regulatory and administrative challenges, consumers' attitudes and competitive market conditions. Practical implicationsThe results of this study would help understand the key factors that can act as barriers to the 5G rollout in India. Based on the findings of the study, the government and regulatory bodies could design conducive policies and regulatory frameworks to successfully deploy 5G in India. Originality/valueThe study is one of the very few studies to empirically examine the telecom operators' perspectives on the challenges of 5G deployment in India. The study contributes to the TOE framework as its application in the context of identifying barriers to 5G deployment is probably for the first time.