Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on May 27 that the Central government’s decision to delicense the lower 6 GHz spectrum band (5925 MHz to 6425 MHz) will act as a major catalyst for innovation and digital connectivity across India. The move paves the way for deploying next-generation Wi-Fi technologies such as Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, which promise faster speeds, lower latency, and enhanced network capacity.
Boosting Speeds and Enabling Innovation
Speaking at an industry conference, Scindia highlighted that the 500 MHz delicensed spectrum in the 6 GHz band will enable ultra-fast internet, transforming how users connect and communicate. “We have just delicensed 500 MHz in our 6 GHz spectrum, and this will roll out new, next-generation technologies like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7,” he said. “This will lead to higher speeds, ultra-low latency, and seamless network capacity.”
Scindia emphasized that the impact will not be limited to urban centres. “Offices will no longer remain the hub of innovation. Every home, even those in rural hamlets, will become a centre of innovation,” he added.
Global Adoption and Technical Edge
The 6 GHz band has already been unlocked in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, where it has dramatically improved wireless performance. Offering potential broadband speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, it far surpasses the capabilities of the current 5 GHz (1.3 Gbps) and 2.4 GHz (600 Mbps) bands that are widely used in India.
Democratizing Broadband Access
Scindia stressed that broadband should no longer be viewed as just a pipeline but as a platform for inclusive progress. “This platform must reach every hand, light every home, and extend to every corner of the country,” he said. The introduction of the 6 GHz band is expected to ease network congestion, particularly in light of the surge in connected devices and data-heavy applications like 4K streaming, AR/VR, online gaming, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Policy Debates and Industry Push
The decision comes after long-standing appeals from the tech sector, including the Broadband India Forum (BIF), which advocated for opening the lower 6 GHz band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. On the other hand, telecom operators represented by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) pushed for the entire 6 GHz band to be auctioned for use in future 5G and 6G services—highlighting the ongoing policy debate between unlicensed access and commercial spectrum allocation.
Leveraging BharatNet and Emerging Technologies
Scindia also called for broader utilization of BharatNet infrastructure and encouraged collaborative models such as fibre-sharing to extend broadband to underserved regions. He urged industry players to support local entrepreneurship and facilitate digital inclusion at the grassroots level.
“I propose six foundational pillars to guide our mission—affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety, and the use of emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and satellite to reach the last mile,” Scindia concluded.
This policy shift is expected to dramatically improve India’s wireless infrastructure and digital readiness, setting the stage for an inclusive and high-performance digital economy.
