The rollout of faster Wi-Fi services in India faces further delays as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has postponed issuing rules for delicensing the lower part of the 6 GHz spectrum band, according to a report.
This spectrum is crucial for enabling Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies, which can deliver internet speeds almost 10 times faster than those currently available in Indian homes and offices.
What is Wi-Fi 6E?
Wi-Fi 6E is an upgraded version of the Wi-Fi 6 standard. The ‘E’ stands for extended, as it brings the 6 GHz frequency band into play alongside the existing 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. It is designed to handle large amounts of data with very low latency, making it ideal for high-speed, high-performance connectivity.
The DoT has set up a committee to carry out technical and field studies on the unlicensed use of Wi-Fi in this band, including point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links. The study will also examine potential interference risks with existing terrestrial and satellite networks.
Back in May, the DoT had announced plans to delicense the lower part of the 6 GHz band and allocate it without auction. Draft rules were published with a deadline of August 15 for implementation. However, that deadline has passed and the final rules are yet to be notified. The spectrum can only be released once the rules are made official.
This delay means Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices cannot operate in India for now. Industry experts highlight that the 6 GHz band can support data speeds of up to 9.6 gigabits per second.
The DoT had earlier allocated the upper segment of the band, between 6,425 and 7,125 MHz, for 4G and 5G services. In May, it delicensed the lower segment between 5,925 and 6,425 MHz for Wi-Fi applications, a move welcomed as a breakthrough for India’s digital growth.
What is causing the delay?
According to the report, mobile operators believe the band should be reserved for mobile services. The Cellular Operators Association of India, whose members include leading telecom companies, argued that giving Wi-Fi providers free access to the 6 GHz band would cause a major revenue loss for the government.
In contrast, the Broadband India Forum, which represents technology giants such as Google, Meta and Microsoft along with equipment makers like Ericsson, Cisco and Huawei, has pushed strongly for delicensing to unlock the full potential of Wi-Fi services.
With stakeholders divided, the DoT has decided to study the issue further before making a final decision.
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