Oppo India has announced that most of its 5G phones have received software updates that support Reliance Jio’s standalone (SA) 5G network. Oppo has already rolled out software updates that make devices including Oppo Reno 8, Reno 8 Pro, Reno 7, Oppo F21 Pro 5G, Oppo F19 Pro+, Oppo K10, and Oppo A53s 5G SA network ready on Jio’s True 5G services. Users can now experience True 5G on these devices in cities where 5G has been made available by Jio. The company also added that other devices will receive their respective 5G SA software updates soon. The smartphone maker has raced ahead of major brands Samsung, Google, and Apple in rolling out 5G-ready updates for its devices in India.
In August, Jio, India’s biggest mobile carrier with more than 420 million customers, snapped up airwaves worth $11 billion (roughly Rs. 90,600 crore) in a $19 billion (roughly Rs. 1.6 lakh crore) 5G spectrum auction. Airtel spent more than $5 billion (roughly Rs. 41,000 crore), while Vodafone-Idea doled out above $2 billion (roughly Rs. 16,500 crore). 5G telecom services were rolled out in India on October 1 via Reliance Jio’s True 5G and Bharti Airtel’s 5G Plus services.
Over a month and a half into the roll-out, the two major telecom providers have managed to cover most major cities. However, a majority of Tier II and Tier III regions are yet to receive 5G support from their telecom providers. The government had in October urged smartphone makers including Samsung and Apple to update their phones with 5G connectivity-ready software, at least by the end of 2022. Apple and Google responded by announcing that they would be releasing 5G software updates on iPhones, and Pixel devices by mid-December, respectively.
South Korean conglomerate Samsung also confirmed a December timeline for its 5G software updates rollout.
Oppo, however, seems to have leaped ahead of all their major rivals by having a majority of their compatible phones updated with 5G ready software by mid-November itself.
Commenting on the development, Tasleem Arif, VP and R&D Head, Oppo India, said, “Oppo India’s dedicated efforts towards the development of 5G ecosystem in India will empower our users to experience True 5G. We are thankful to Jio for their contribution in supporting us on the same. Further, with this development, users living in any city with a 5G-enabled network can enjoy the experience. We are constantly pushing boundaries of innovation to share an experience through our devices, which makes lives easier and more convenient. All our upcoming 5G devices will be SA and NSA compatible.”
