6 GHz band freed: India set to enter a new era of ultra-fast Wi-Fi connectivity
New Delhi: India’s internet ecosystem is poised for a major transformation with the Centre approving next-generation Wi-Fi technologies and delicensing a key portion of the 6 GHz spectrum. The move is expected to significantly boost internet speeds and improve connectivity across homes, offices and smart devices.
The government has approved the use of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies and removed licensing requirements for a large part of the 6 GHz band. In a major policy decision, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a notification delicensing 500 MHz of spectrum in the lower 6 GHz band, enabling high-speed wireless internet services without any licence fee.
With this decision, users in India will be able to access next-generation Wi-Fi standards that promise faster speeds, lower latency and higher capacity compared to existing networks. Until now, Wi-Fi services in India largely operated in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, which often suffer from congestion, especially in densely populated urban areas.
The availability of the 6 GHz band is expected to deliver fibre-like speeds over wireless networks, dramatically improving experiences such as online gaming, 4K and 8K video streaming, video conferencing and data-heavy applications.
Industry experts say the move will be particularly beneficial for smart homes, enterprise networks and emerging technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
According to the DoT notification, the delicensed spectrum will be permitted for low-power indoor systems and very low-power outdoor systems. The allocation has been designed on a shared basis to ensure that it does not interfere with other critical services operating in adjacent bands.
However, the upper portion of the 6 GHz band (6425–7125 MHz) has been kept reserved for future mobile services, including 5G and 6G. The decision follows intense debate within the technology and telecom sectors.
Global technology companies such as Apple, Amazon, Meta, Cisco and Intel had been advocating for the entire 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band to be opened up for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. On the other hand, Indian telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, had pushed for auctioning the entire band for licensed mobile services.
By freeing up 500 MHz for Wi-Fi while reserving the remaining spectrum for future telecom needs, the government has struck what many see as a middle path. The move is expected to accelerate India’s digital transformation, support innovation, and meet the growing demand for high-speed, reliable internet connectivity in the years ahead.
