Summary:
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to expedite rule changes permitting standard-power outdoor use of the delicensed lower 6 GHz band, following an expert committee’s recommendation for 36 dBm operations. COAI says fixed wireless access and point-to-multipoint technology could help overcome fibre deployment challenges and improve last-mile connectivity in rural, semi-urban and remote areas. The association warned that limiting the 500 MHz spectrum to low-power indoor use would restrict its potential to expand broadband access and promote digital inclusion.
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing telecom operators, on Tuesday called on the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to promptly notify amendments to the rules permitting standard-power operations in the delicensed lower 6 GHz band.
The association noted that an expert committee established by the DoT and headed by Radha Krishna Ganti of IIT Madras had recommended allowing higher-power outdoor operations at 36 dBm in the 5925–6425 MHz band.
COAI said the industry considers it essential to implement the committee’s recommendation without further delay.
“Several months” have elapsed since the committee submitted its report, said COAI Director General SP Kochhar.
He highlighted that last-mile connectivity challenges continue in rural, semi-urban and remote areas due to right-of-way hurdles, inadequate fibre availability and the high cost of network deployment.
According to Kochhar, permitting standard-power outdoor operations offers a practical and economical solution to these challenges.
Fixed wireless access and point-to-multipoint networks operating at standard power are well suited to extending last-mile connectivity in locations where fibre is unavailable, economically unfeasible or difficult to deploy, Kochhar said.
Allowing these operations would enable the full utilisation of the 500 MHz of delicensed spectrum and make it accessible to all service providers.
COAI cautioned that restricting the band to low-power indoor applications would leave much of its potential untapped.
The association wants the spectrum to support not only indoor enterprise and consumer Wi-Fi services but also the expansion of rural broadband and digital inclusion.
“COAI believes that restricting this band to low-power indoor applications would prevent it from reaching its full potential. Permitting these operations would help transform India’s delicensed spectrum from a resource primarily serving indoor enterprise and consumer Wi-Fi into a key driver of rural broadband expansion and digital inclusion,” the industry body said.
The association urged the DoT to accelerate the notification of rules governing point-to-multipoint and point-to-point operations, enabling licensed and authorised entities to deploy these capabilities.
