India Mobile Congress 2024 dominated by AI with over 750 use cases
As expected, Artificial Intelligence (AI) took center stage at India Mobile Congress 2024 (IMC 2024), as a diverse spectrum of tech and telecom companies, including startups and educational institutions, showcased over 900 technology use case scenarios, including 750 AI-based use cases during the 4-day conference in New Delhi, India. IMC 2024 hosted over 400 exhibitors, about 900 startups and participation from over 120 countries.
The focus of the AI-enabled use cases was on conservation, convenience, efficiency, safety, automating hazardous tasks, assisting humans and others. AI-based virtual agents were taking over the workloads at contact centers while addressing the shortage of doctors in remote areas. Some key use cases included solutions for railway safety, including AI-based systems that can detect and send alerts on unusual activity on tracks. In particular:
- Reliance Jio offered attendees a glimpse of PhoneCall AI, a highly anticipated feature for transcribing and summarizing phone calls, which is currently in alpha testing phase. Jio also presented a 5G intelligent village concept powered by AI. Farmers can now use their mobile phones to take pictures of crops, allowing AI to detect diseases and recommend solutions, improving crop health and yield. Jio facilitates the delivery of these solutions to homes or nearby retail stores, empowering farmers by enabling higher revenue and better employment opportunities. Jio also showcased its JioKrishi Agri IoT device for agriculture. The IoT device with multiple sensors takes farming into the digital age, providing real-time data on crop health and enabling optimal irrigation and fertilization. Connected to the AI-enabled JioKrishi app, farmers can receive recommendations for fertilizers or pesticides, including the quantities to use, and order farm supplies—ensuring end-to-end farm solutions.
- Bharti Airtel launched India’s first AI-powered spam detection solution to combat spam calls and messages. This network-based tool provides real-time alerts, helping users reduce spam effectively. Ericsson showcased a 5G-powered robotic dog, Rocky, who can assist authorities with efficient emergency response by sending alerts in time that can help authorities deal with emergencies like fire outbreaks.
- Vodafone Idea demonstrated the transmission of real-time diagnostic reports over its high-speed network, enabling doctors to conduct video consultations remotely. The solution offers over 30 medical tests, including vitals and blood screenings, at a cost of under ₹250, making healthcare more accessible in rural areas.
- C3iHub, a Technology Innovation Hub established at IIT Kanpur and funded by Department of Science & Technology (DST), addressed cybersecurity of cyber-physical systems, with a key focus on critical infrastructure, automotive, and drones.
- Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) showcased over a dozen AI-based solutions for smart agriculture and even aquarium management, with AI-enabled feed for fish. The AI system detects the right time for feeding and releases food accordingly while also monitoring water quality and sending alerts to owners. Mahindra University students displayed AI-based solutions to bolster shrimp farming (raising shrimp in controlled environments). The tool constantly monitors and ensures conditions are ideal for shrimp farming. India Mobile Congress, Asia’s largest digital technology forum, has become a well-known platform across the globe for showcasing innovative solutions, services and state-of-the-art use cases for industry, government, academics, startups and other key stakeholders in the technology and telecom ecosystem.
- Nokia showcased technologies spanning 5G, 6G, AI/ML and network infrastructure, aimed at driving innovation and promoting a sustainable future.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with pioneering startups including Signalchip, Wisig Networks, and female led startups like Astrome and Easiofy Solutions, showcasing India’s leadership in cutting-edge technology innovations.
IMC 2024 showcased groundbreaking ideas and innovations from prestigious academic institutions like IITs and IIMs. Through LLMs such as BharatGen, IMC highlighted the cutting-edge research and technological advancements emerging from these institutions, demonstrating their role in shaping the future of telecom and technology in India.
References:
https://telecomtalk.info/jio-showcases-ai-tools-industry5-5g-imc2024/983400/
Nokia has secured a multi-billion dollar contract with India’s Bharti Airtel, one of the country’s leading telecom operators, which is expanding its 5G network.
https://techblog.comsoc.org/2024/10/20/nokia-wins-multi-billion-dollar-contract-from-bharti-airtel-for-5g-equipment/
Teral Research:
As of June 2024, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have installed nearly 450,000 5G base stations, reinforcing their dominant positions and capturing 74% of India’s cellular subscriber base. Despite this, the market saw a 54% YoY decline in RAN spending during 1H24, confirming the end of the initial 5G deployment cycle. Ericsson continues to lead the vendor landscape, with Nokia, Samsung Networks, and Mavenir following closely behind.
As the market enters a 2-year long transition, we forecast the next big growth phase to begin in 2026, driven by a second wave of network upgrades from Jio and Airtel, along with BSNL and Vodafone Idea ramping up their 4G and 5G efforts. Additionally, the report highlights how Open RAN is expected to capture 2% of the market by 2026, with long-term projections showing significant growth in Open RAN deployments over the next decade.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whats-new-t%C3%A9ral-research-t-ral-research-dlt5c/