TELECOM gear maker Nokia India on Wednesday (3) claimed to have recorded a top speed of 9.85 Gigabit per second on the Vodafone Idea (Vi) network during the ongoing 5G trials.
The company has achieved the top speed in back end data transmission, which means connecting mobile base station networks, during the trials in Gandhinagar, Gujarat state.
"Together with Vi, we achieved 9.85 Gbps of backhaul capacity using E-band microwave in 80 GHz spectrum, unlocking the potential of deploying 5G," Nokia India said in a tweet.
The high-frequency zone of E-band is proposed to be used to connect mobile networks in the back end and data speed in these bands are expected to match the transmission levels of optical fibres.
"We are delighted to partner with Vi in trials to deliver 5G services by connecting small cells & macrocells with fibre-like speed through E-Band, in areas where fibre is challenging to deploy," Nokia said.
In September, Vodafone Idea had claimed to have recorded a peak speed of 3.7 Gbps, the highest by any operator in India, during the 5G trials in Pune.
The company also claimed to have recorded 1.5 Gbps download speed in the mid-band spectrum in Gandhinagar and Pune.
Vi has been allocated high-frequency bands like 26 Gigahertz (GHz) by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) along with the traditional 3.5 GHz spectrum band, for 5G network trials.
The DoT had approved applications of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone in May, and MTNL later. The permission has been granted for six-month trials with telecom gear makers Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and C-DOT.
In June, Jio claimed to have recorded a peak speed of 1 Gbps and Airtel is also said to have recorded the same level of peak speed in July.
Reliance Jio is using its own technology as well for 5G trials.
All the private players are providing 4G services across the country at present and are gearing up for 5G services.
Shein’s UK sales hit £2.05bn in 2024, up 32.3 per cent year-on-year, driven by younger shoppers.
The retailer benefits from import tax loopholes unavailable to high street rivals.
Faces mounting criticism over labour practices and sustainability as it eyes a London listing.
Tax edge drives growth
Chinese fashion giant Shein is transforming Britain’s online clothing market, capturing a third of women aged 16 to 24 while benefiting from tax breaks unavailable to high street rivals.
The fast-fashion retailer’s UK sales surged 32.3 per cent to £2.05bn in 2024, according to company filings, with pre-tax profits rising to £38.3m from £24.4m the previous year. The growth comes as established players like Asos struggle in an increasingly competitive landscape where young consumers prioritise value above all else.
Shein has partly benefited from a tax break on import duty for goods worth less than £135 sent directly to consumers, The rule lets overseas sellers send low-value goods to the UK tax-free, disadvantaging local businesses.
“The growth of Shein and Temu is a huge factor,” said Tamara Sender Ceron, associate director of fashion retail research at Mintel told The Guardian. “It is particularly successful among younger shoppers. It is also a threat to other fashion retailers such as Primark and H&M because of its ultra-low price model that nobody can compete with. It’s changed the market.
"The market dynamics reflect broader shifts in consumer behaviour. Online fashion sales reached £34bn last year, up 3 per cent, according to Mintel, but shoppers have become more cautious as disposable incomes shrink, and fashion competes with holidays, festivals, and streaming services for wallet share.
Scrutiny builds
Despite its commercial success, Shein faces mounting scrutiny. The company filed initial paperwork last June for a potential London Stock Exchange listing, but critics question its labour practices and environmental impact.
"Regardless of whether Shein gets listed on the London Stock Exchange, no company doing business in the UK should be allowed to play fast and loose with human rights anywhere in their global supply chains,” said Peter Frankental, economic affairs programme director at Amnesty International UK to BBC.
The “de minimis” rule has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump scrapped a similar measure during his trade war with China.
Shein’s UK operation now employs 91 people across offices in Kings Cross and Manchester, focusing primarily on local market expertise.
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