A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM

India's move to allocate 6 GHz for mobile may derail broadband growth, stifle WiFi 6E adoption, and hinder digital innovation, slowing economic progress.

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The Government of India recently announced its decision to allocate 600 MHz of the upper 6 GHz band to licensed mobile operators. This marks a radical and daringly different step in the telecom world. Globally, the 6 GHz spectrum band (5925-7125 MHz) has emerged as a key enabler of next-generation wireless technologies like WiFi 6E and WiFi 7. While over 84 countries have recognised its transformative potential and delicensed significant portions of this spectrum, India has chosen to stand apart-continuing to use obsolescent WiFi versions and, in doing so, seriously jeopardising its digital leadership ambitions.

Regulatory authorities across 84 nations have delicensed all or part of the 6 GHz band, unlocking access to modern high-capacity WiFi networks. The United States was among the first to delicense the 6 GHz band (1200 MHz) in April 2020, enabling innovations, smart homes, the Internet of Things (IoT), telemedicine, and remote work.

Similarly, South Korea, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and most of South America have also delicensed the full 1200 MHz, embracing unlicensed access for ultrahigh-speed WiFi. The EU Regulator, CEPT, approved the delicensing of 500 MHz within the lower 6 GHz band of 5925-6425 MHz, with many European nations working towards full delicensing.

The consensus among developed and developing nations is clear: delicensing 6 GHz accelerates digital economies, fosters innovation, and bridges connectivity gaps. India's recent decision, however, puts it out of sync with global trends and aligns it with a non-trusted equipment source, raising concerns over inclusivity, security, and digital development.