The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has ruled out any further delicensing of the 6 GHz spectrum band beyond the 500 MHz already made available for WiFi and low-power wireless equipment. This comes despite persistent demands from global technology companies seeking additional unlicensed spectrum to support next-generation WiFi technologies.
Also Read: Tech Industry Urges DoT to Revise 6 GHz Wi-Fi Power Norms, Align with Global Standards
DoT Holds Firm on 6 GHz Spectrum Policy
Government officials said the department believes the currently available unlicensed spectrum — including the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands — is adequate to meet India's WiFi requirements, according to The Economic Times report. The decision marks a partial acceptance of the industry's recommendations, with the DoT considering a marginal increase in transmit power for outdoor WiFi devices using the 6 GHz band. However, this increase will only be permitted if it does not interfere with existing users, particularly defence and satellite operations.
"We have received comments from stakeholders regarding the delicensing of the lower 6 GHz band. We will notify the rules soon but more spectrum in the band won’t be delicensed," an official was quoted as saying in the report. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently stated that the final guidelines for the 6 GHz band would be announced before August 15.
Also Read: Delicensing of 6 GHz Band for Wi-Fi Will Boost Innovation in India, Says Telecom Minister
In May, the DoT delicensed 500 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band for WiFi and related low-power wireless equipment requirements. As per the report, officials in the department feel that the intent behind this move was to promote the development of low-power and very-low-power systems rather than high-capacity outdoor deployments.
Already around 700 MHz spectrum is available for WiFi use in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. As per experts, the additional 6 GHz spectrum can be used alongside the existing WiFi airwaves to get better speeds and capacity.
Also Read: Telcos to Oppose DoT’s Move to Delicense Lower 6GHz Band, Citing 5G Expansion Concerns
Global Tech Giants Push for More Spectrum
The Broadband India Forum (BIF) — which includes Amazon, Google, Meta, Qualcomm, and Netflix among its members — had requested an additional 160 MHz in the band, taking the total unlicensed spectrum to 660 MHz. This, the BIF argued, would enable simultaneous use of two 320 MHz-wide channels and support high-speed applications enabled by WiFi 6E and WiFi 7.
Also Read: Centre Notifies Draft Rules to Delicense Lower 6 GHz Band for Wi-Fi Use
"This would ensure that at least two users could get 320 MHz wide channels simultaneously for high-speed applications and data usage and would also ensure that any combination of channel bandwidths of 320, 160 and 80 MHz could be used for deployment of advanced Wi-Fi technologies viz. Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7," the BIF had said in a memorandum to the government, as mentioned in the report.
Jio Supports Cap, Rivals Seek Further Talks
However, the government remains firm that the remaining portion of the 6 GHz band may be required for future mobile services, including 5G and 6G deployments. Notably, the telecom industry, once united in seeking the full 1200 MHz for mobile use, is now divided. Reliance Jio has aligned with the government's decision, supporting the 500 MHz cap and advocating for increased outdoor WiFi power limits. In contrast, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea are urging for further consultations before a final decision is made.
Also Read: Jio Aligns with Tech Firms, Now Supports De-Licensing of 6 GHz Band for Wi-Fi and FWA Use
Unnamed experts quoted in the report highlight that the 6 GHz band can deliver data speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, significantly higher than the 1.3 Gbps offered by the 5 GHz band and 600 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. Globally, over 84 countries — including the US, UK, and South Korea — have already delicensed the full 6 GHz band for WiFi services, raising concerns among some stakeholders about India's pace of adoption.
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