Regulation

6GHz in India: a win for Wi-Fi?

6GHz in India: a win for Wi-Fi?

India's policymakers seem finally to have put an end to the 6GHz debate between proponents of cellular and of Wi-Fi with government confirmation of plans to delicense the lower 6GHz band to help enable faster Wi-Fi indoors.

The Economic Times news service say that, in a meeting on Wednesday, the Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia reportedly settled the matter once and for all, permitting Wi-Fi use of the lower 6GHz spectrum band (5925-6425MHz) and thus also – potentially – delivering next generation Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 benefits to users.

As we have reported, this follows opposition from incumbent telecom operators, which have been claiming the band.

While operators suggest that only with the full use of the 6GHz band can the promise of 5G and beyond be fulfilled, notably in rural areas, technology companies that support Wi-Fi can counter that 6GHz Wi-Fi could be good for 5G in some cases, enabling network efficiencies, optimal spectrum utilisation (and in particular mobile data offload), and better service quality of mobile networks.

Of course more bandwidth would also boost next-generation Wi-Fi technologies and enhance the economic prospects of original equipment makers (OEMs) allowing them to make and sell new generation Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7-compatible routers and devices.

Some Wi-Fi supporters also suggest that more spectrum availability could enhance India’s chances of becoming a global leader in Wi-Fi technology, given the apparently high level of readiness to adopt Wi-Fi in the ecosystem.

Whatever the arguments, however, it does seem that, on a purely policy level, the lower 6GHz debate has now been won by Wi-Fi.



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