Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Progress without limits: On clearing of decks for the first auction of radio spectrum

Progress without limits: On clearing of decks for the first auction of radio spectrum

India must ensure 5G caters to the largest sections of the population

The Union Cabinet last week cleared the decks for the first auction (नीलामी) of radio spectrum to facilitate (सुविधा देना, आसान बनाना, संभव बनाना) the roll-out (official launch/introduction) of 5G telecommunication services. The Department of Telecommunications (दूरसंचार विभाग) promptly (तत्काल, शीघ्रता से) issued (जारी करना, प्रकाशित करना, मुद्दा) a 159-page ‘Notice Inviting Applications’, detailing the specifics (बारीकियों, विवरण) of the auction including the frequencies that would be up for (के लिए ऊपर) bidding (auction) starting on July 26, and their reserve prices (आरक्षित मूल्य). The speed with which the Government has moved — from the initial announcement in the Union Budget to the telecom regulator’s recommendations, and finally notification of the auction — has been commendable (प्रशंसनीय, सराहनीय) and shows its keenness (eagerness, willingness, readiness, desire/wish) to ensure India is at the relative (रिश्तेदार, संबंधित) vanguard in the adoption (acceptance, endorsement) of the potentially (संभावित, बोधगम्य) ‘transformative (परिवर्तनकारी, विकासात्मक, अभूतपूर्व)’ technology. The Government has underscored (ध्यान देना बल देना, जोर देना) that its primary motivation is to boost digital connectivity, a laudable objective (उद्देश्य, लक्ष्य, इरादा) given (दिया गया, विचार करना, ध्यान में रखना) that the rapid growth of wireless telephony (the operation/use of telephones) has perceptibly (noticeably, perceivably, discernibly, evidently, obviously) helped improve the delivery of services such as mobile banking, online education and telemedicine (a method of medicine that allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in remote locations using telecommunications technology). The rub, however, is in the details. While most of the specific frequency bands that telecom providers consider optimal (most favourable, optimum, ideal, perfect) for the introduction of 5G services have been made available, including in the sub 1 GHz range, a C-Band frequency of 3.3 GHz, and the higher 26 GHz, the Government’s decision to set the reserve price for the spectrum (airwaves; invisible radio frequencies; it refers to a range of electromagnetic (radio) waves that are used for communication purposes (to transmit signals over specific bands). Scientists measure frequencies using hertz, meaning the number of wave cycles per second. Satellites generally transmit on a frequency between 1.5 and 51.5 gigahertz (a gigahertz, or GHz, equals one billion hertz). High-speed broadband operates at the higher end of the spectrum) based on the regulator’s recommendations reveals a prioritisation (the activity that arranges items or activities in order of importance relative to each other) of revenue over the industry’s long-term health. Even considering that an option for a staggered (gradual, step-by-step, phased, incremental) annual pay-out of the licence fee over its 20-year term has been provided, the price is still high.

This is particularly so when one considers the level of financial stress (trouble, difficulty, distress, suffering, strain, pressure, tension, anxiety, worry) that has shrunk the sector to a near duopoly, and forced the surviving operators to resort to (have recourse to, fall back on, turn to, make use of, use, utilize, avail oneself of, employ) tariff increases to protect their viability (practicality, workability, feasibility (to work successfully)) and ability to make future investments. With 5G’s adoption for the various possible end uses that leverage (use or utilize something to maximum advantage) machine-to-machine communication such as IoT, smart agriculture (it refers to the usage of technologies like Internet of Things, sensors, location systems, robots and artificial intelligence on your farm. The ultimate goal is increasing the quality and quantity of the crops while optimizing the human labor used), smart homes (a residence that uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting, heating, security and entertainment systems) and others that bank on (rely on, depend on, count on) reliability, including smart grids and autonomous vehicles, still in its relative infancy (babyhood, early childhood, early days/stages) even in advanced economies, the technology is yet some years away from scale-based economic viability. The relatively (to a certain degree, to a certain extent, partly, partially, in some measure, comparatively, moderately, a little, somewhat) small size of the market for just faster downloads of videos and games, especially at a higher cost, makes it near (almost, just about, nearly, practically, virtually, all but) certain that service providers (this definition is very wide and covers a diverse set of service providers, ranging from Internet service providers, search engines, web hosting service providers, to e-commerce platforms or even social media platforms) will take an ultra-cautious approach both to bidding (offer, tender, proposal (at an auction)) for spectrum and in rolling out (launch/introduce something officially) services. The Cabinet’s decision to allow bids for starting Captive Non-Public Networks (it enables individual companies to run private networks within the isolated confines/limits of the enterprise) that would enable individual companies to run private networks within the isolated confines (limits, outer limits, borders, boundaries, margins) of the enterprise has also roiled (to make irritated/annoyed) the pitch. It is hard to imagine the urgency to open up 5G for this niche ((products, services) of interest only to a few people) application, particularly as it further undermines (weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage) the economics for traditional telcos (Telephone company, a provider of telecommunications services). India must be conscious (realize, be aware of, be recognize, perceive, discern, understand) of the challenges and opportunities of 5G services, and ensure that the technology caters to the largest sections of the population and not remain a deliverer for a high-value but limited, premium segment.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.auction (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नीलामी
English Meaning - the process of selling (at an auction); bidding.

2.facilitate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सुविधा देना, आसान बनाना, संभव बनाना
English Meaning - make easy, make possible, clear the way for, open the door for; enable, assist, help.

3.The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दूरसंचार विभाग
English Meaning - The Department of Telecommunication (DoT) works under the aegis (support & guidance) of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The Department of Telecom has been formulating developmental policies for the accelerated growth of the telecommunication services.

4.promptly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - तत्काल, शीघ्रता से
English Meaning - quickly, immediately, swiftly, rapidly.

5.issue (verb)

Hindi Meaning - जारी करना, प्रकाशित करना, मुद्दा
English Meaning - release, publish, announce, put out.

6.specifics (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बारीकियों, विवरण
English Meaning - details, particulars.

7.up for (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के लिए ऊपर
English Meaning - available for; ready.

8.reserve price (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरक्षित मूल्य
English Meaning - the minimum price at which the seller of an item is ready to sell its item in an auction, below which he is not obliged to accept the deal.

9.commendable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशंसनीय, सराहनीय
English Meaning - admirable, praiseworthy, laudable.

10.relative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - रिश्तेदार, संबंधित
English Meaning - comparative, respective, comparable, correlative, parallel, corresponding.

11.potentially (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - संभावित, बोधगम्य
English Meaning - possibly, conceivably, arguably, maybe.

12.transformative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - परिवर्तनकारी, विकासात्मक, अभूतपूर्व
English Meaning - transformational, developmental, groundbreaking, evolutionary, life-changing.

13.underscore (verb)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान देना बल देना, जोर देना
English Meaning - emphasize, draw attention on, highlight, underline.

14.objective (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उद्देश्य, लक्ष्य, इरादा
English Meaning - aim, intention, purpose, target, goal.

15.given (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - दिया गया, विचार करना, ध्यान में रखना
English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

16.spectrum (noun)

English Meaning - airwaves; invisible radio frequencies; it refers to a range of electromagnetic (radio) waves that are used for communication purposes (to transmit signals over specific bands). Scientists measure frequencies using hertz, meaning the number of wave cycles per second. Satellites generally transmit on a frequency between 1.5 and 51.5 gigahertz (a gigahertz, or GHz, equals one billion hertz). High-speed broadband operates at the higher end of the spectrum.

17.cater to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - present someone with what is needed; try to satisfy/fulfil a need of.

18.clear the decks (phrase)

English Meaning - get ready for a specific action/event (by getting rid of all other hindrances that may hamper the event/action).

19.roll-out (noun)

English Meaning - official launch/introduction.

20.bidding (noun)

English Meaning - auction.

21.regulator (noun)

English Meaning - an association/statutory body that supervises a particular business activity.

22.keenness (noun)

English Meaning - eagerness, willingness, readiness, desire/wish.

23.vanguard (noun)

English Meaning - forefront, front line, driving force, spearhead.

24.adoption (noun)

English Meaning - acceptance, endorsement.

25.‘transformative’ technology (noun)

English Meaning - it is a technology that supports mental health, emotional wellbeing and human thriving.

26.telephony (noun)

English Meaning - the operation/use of telephones.

27.perceptibly (adverb)

English Meaning - noticeably, perceivably, discernibly, evidently, obviously.

28.telemedicine (noun)

English Meaning - a method of medicine that allows health care professionals to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients in remote locations using telecommunications technology.

29.rub (noun)

English Meaning - problem, snag, difficulty, trouble.

30.the devil in the details (phrase)

English Meaning - it means that the details of something are always difficult & problematic part of it, whereas “the angel/god is in the details” means that attention paid to small & important things/details will produce big results,

31.optimal (adjective)

English Meaning - most favourable, optimum, ideal, perfect.

32.C band (mid-band) (noun)

English Meaning - The C band is a designation by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies ranging from 4.0 to 8.0 gigahertz (GHz); However, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 3.7-4.2 GHz as C band. The C-Band (3.4 - 4.2 GHz) is a cornerstone/basis for many satellite services; This C-band (or mid-band) is the best RF spectrum for 5G deployment as well. The protection of the existing satellite systems operating in the C-band is crucial while allocating C-band frequencies to the upcoming 5G deployment, and to accomplish this, suitable spectrum sharing mechanisms need to be investigated.

33.prioritisation (noun)

English Meaning - the activity that arranges items or activities in order of importance relative to each other.

34.long-term (adjective)

English Meaning - enduring, long-lasting, long-lived, continuing, persisting, permanent.

35.staggered (adjective)

English Meaning - gradual, step-by-step, phased, incremental.

36.payout (noun)

English Meaning - payment.

37.stress (noun)

English Meaning - trouble, difficulty, distress, suffering, strain, pressure, tension, anxiety, worry.

38.financial stress (noun)

English Meaning - a state of worry, anxiety, or emotional tension related to money, debt, and upcoming or current expenses.

39.financial distress (noun)

English Meaning - a term commonly used in corporate finance that describes any situation where an individual’s or company’s financial condition leaves them struggling to pay their bills.

40.shrunk past participle of shrink (verb)

English Meaning - lessen, reduce, decrease.

41.resort to (phrase)

English Meaning - have recourse to, fall back on, turn to, make use of, use, utilize, avail oneself of, employ.

42.viability (verb)

English Meaning - practicality, workability, feasibility (to work successfully).

43.leverage (verb)

English Meaning - use or utilize something to maximum advantage.

44.internet of things (IoT) (noun)

English Meaning - IoT is simply the network of interconnected things/devices which are embedded with sensors, software, network connectivity and necessary electronics that enables them to collect and exchange data making them responsive.

45.smart agriculture (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to the usage of technologies like Internet of Things, sensors, location systems, robots and artificial intelligence on your farm. The ultimate goal is increasing the quality and quantity of the crops while optimizing the human labor used.

46.smart home (noun)

English Meaning - a residence that uses internet-connected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances and systems, such as lighting, heating, security and entertainment systems.

47.bank on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - rely on, depend on, count on.

48.smart grid (noun)

English Meaning - smart Grid is an Electrical Grid with Automation, Communication and IT systems that can monitor power flows from points of generation to points of consumption (even down to appliances level) and control the power flow or curtail the load to match generation in real time or near real time.

49.autonomous/driverless vehicle (noun)

English Meaning - an autonomous vehicle, or a driverless vehicle, is one that is able to operate itself and perform necessary functions without any human intervention, through ability to sense its surroundings.

50.infancy (noun)

English Meaning - babyhood, early childhood, early days/stages.

51.advanced economy (noun)

English Meaning - developed country.

52.relatively (adverb)

English Meaning - to a certain degree, to a certain extent, partly, partially, in some measure, comparatively, moderately, a little, somewhat.

53.make certain (phrase)

English Meaning - make sure, ensure, see to it.

54.near (adverb)

English Meaning - almost, just about, nearly, practically, virtually, all but.

55.service providers (noun)

English Meaning - this definition is very wide and covers a diverse set of service providers, ranging from Internet service providers, search engines, web hosting service providers, to e-commerce platforms or even social media platforms.

56.ultra- (prefix)

English Meaning - extremely, exceedingly, excessively, extra.

57.roll out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - launch/introduce something officially.

58.bid (noun)

English Meaning - offer, tender, proposal (at an auction).

59.Captive Non-Public Network (noun)

English Meaning - it enables individual companies to run private networks within the isolated confines/limits of the enterprise.

60.confines (noun)

English Meaning - limits, outer limits, borders, boundaries, margins.

61.roil (verb)

English Meaning - to make irritated/annoyed.