The ITU-APT Foundation of India (IAFI) has urged the Government to delicense the lower 6GHz frequency band (5925–6425 MHz) to support the deployment of next-generation Wi-Fi technologies and accelerate India's digital transformation. In a letter to Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, IAFI president Bharat Bhatia said that unlocking this spectrum is essential to enable high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi 7 services, particularly in rural and underserved areas under initiatives such as BharatNet and PM-WANI, according to an ETTelecom report.
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Global Momentum for Wi-Fi in the 6GHz Band
Bhatia noted that over 100 countries—including the US, UK, EU member states, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea—have already delicensed the lower 6GHz band for Wi-Fi use. "In India, where initiatives such as BharatNet and PM-WANI are expanding broadband access to rural and underserved areas, there is an urgent need for additional unlicensed spectrum to prevent network congestion and deliver seamless, high-speed connectivity," Bhatia added, as per the report.
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Government's Recent Spectrum Strategy
The request follows the Ministry of Communications' recent move to open new frequency bands for mobile services, including the upper 6GHz band, to support the rollout of 5G and future 6G networks. However, the government has yet to announce a timeline for the next spectrum auction.
IAFI reportedly argued that studies conducted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space (DoS) have shown that low-power and very low-power Wi-Fi operations can coexist with satellite services, mitigating interference concerns. It also said auctioning the lower 6GHz band would yield minimal revenue due to limited global telecom infrastructure operating in this range.
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Economic Impact of Delays in De-Licensing
The non-profit's appeal echoes a similar request from the Broadband India Forum (BIF), which recently claimed that delays in delicensing are resulting in an estimated annual economic loss of Rs 12.7 lakh crore.
In contrast, industry bodies like GSMA and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)—representing telecom players Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea—have urged the Department of Telecommunications to allocate the upper 6GHz band (6425–7125 MHz) for mobile services, citing the need for additional mid-band spectrum to support 5G expansion.
Also Read: GSMA Urges India’s DoT to Include 6GHz Band in Next Spectrum Auction: Report
6GHz Band in India
A significant portion of the 6GHz spectrum is currently used by various government departments, including Defence, Space, Broadcasting, Railways, and Housing and Urban Affairs.
