Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio Infocomm, and Vodafone Idea all want the 6 GHz band auctioned off, claiming it will be useful for commercial deployment of 5G services as well as 5.5G and 6G in the future. However, technology companies represented by the Broadband India Forum (BIF) such as Amazon, Google, Meta, Qualcomm, TCS, Intel, Cisco, and Microsoft want the same band delicensed – or allotted without auctions – for WiFi services. WiFi technologies are usually available on unlicensed spectrum.
The 6 GHz band is currently used in part for Indian Space Research Organisation satellite operations. The prize for 6 GHz band is enormous. It can support internet speeds of up to 10 Gbps, which is comparable to 5G speeds and up to 100 times faster than 4G.
According to telcos, WiFi services provided by technology companies on 6 GHz band would be comparable to the connectivity services provided by telcos.
They would, however, use spectrum that is practically free and free of regulatory burdens such as licence fees and security compliances, thus undermining the principle of’same service, same rules.’ According to the BIF, WiFi technologies supplement 5G in areas where traditional tower and fibre infrastructure deployment may not be feasible or cost-effective.
In the past, tech companies such as Facebook have advocated for access to unlicensed spectrum in order to provide WiFi services. They have previously stated that they do not intend to become internet service providers, but rather to collaborate with operators.
Telcos and tech firms have been lobbying hard with the Department of Telecommunications, which is working on defining band usage and also looking at new frequencies to auction at the next sale, which can be used for 5G and future technologies. The next auction is scheduled for the end of this fiscal year.
BIF said in a statement that it recently signed a deal with the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) to expand the next-generation wireless ecosystem. Furthermore, it stated that India should open the 6 GHz band WiFi as soon as possible in order to meet its broadband goals as well as meet growth opportunities for business and societal needs.
Also Read:
