Qualcomm to Collaborate with Airtel and Jio for 6G Network Deployment

Qualcomm's chief financial officer, Akash Palkhiwala, has revealed the company's plans to spearhead the 6G market once the technology becomes a reality. The company is set to work closely with major Indian telecom operators, Airtel and Jio, for the implementation of 6G networks. Palkhiwala emphasised Qualcomm's close collaboration with the Indian government on spectrum allocation and network deployment requirements. 

Qualcomm is already engaged in deploying 5G networks in collaboration with telecom operators, and plans to extend its leadership to the 6G realm. While specific details were not provided, Qualcomm highlighted ongoing activities related to 6G standards. The company emphasized the necessity of global coordination among operators and vendors for successful 6G implementation.

Key discussions with the Indian government have revolved around spectrum allocation, focusing on identifying suitable frequency bands for 6G networks. While the current focus remains on 5G deployment, Qualcomm's strategic initiatives signal a proactive approach towards the future of telecommunications in India.

Moreover, Qualcomm is also collaborating closely with the Indian government and Tata Group to investigate the possibility of locally packaging its latest AI PC chip in the near future.

Palkhiwala said that Qualcomm has established a strong collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Tata Group to explore the utilization of Indian manufacturing facilities for our chips. 

Palkhiwala emphasised Qualcomm’s substantial presence in India, underscoring its pivotal role within the company. The dedicated India team is integral to the development of our entire roadmap, with their significant contributions, particularly in shaping this crucial chip.

Qualcomm recently announced that its redesigned Snapdragon Elite X chip, optimised for handling AI tasks such as summarising emails, text generation, and image creation, will be available in laptops from next year. Qualcomm also claims that its chip will deliver “50% faster peak multi-thread performance” than Apple’s M2 chip.