DoT Says No to Further Delicensing of 6 GHz Band; Considers Higher Power Output for Outdoor WiFi

In a significant policy stance, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made it clear that it will not delicense additional spectrum in the 6 GHz band, despite persistent lobbying from global tech giants. The move signals a cautious yet calculated approach to spectrum allocation, balancing the needs of innovation with national security and operational stability.

Officials from the DoT, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that while the department is not inclined to open up more of the 6 GHz band, it is open to exploring a marginal increase in transmission power for outdoor WiFi devices. This would allow greater signal strength using the already delicensed 500 MHz spectrum — provided it doesn’t cause interference with critical satellite and defense communications.

“We’ve received extensive feedback on the lower 6 GHz band. While rules will be released soon, the current 500 MHz limit is likely to stay,” said a senior government official.

Back in May, the government had already made 500 MHz of spectrum available in the 6 GHz band for WiFi and low-power wireless systems. The intent, according to DoT, was to stimulate innovation in low-power, low-latency applications. With 700 MHz already in use across 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, industry players were hoping for more — but the government believes the existing provision suffices for now.

The Broadband India Forum (BIF), representing heavyweights like Amazon, Google, Meta, Qualcomm, and Netflix, had urged the government to delicense an additional 160 MHz. Their argument? More spectrum would unlock the full potential of advanced WiFi technologies like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 — enabling wider bandwidths and supporting high-speed, high-volume use cases.

According to BIF, a total of 660 MHz would allow simultaneous access to two 320 MHz channels, along with combinations of 160 and 80 MHz — essential for next-gen connectivity experiences.

However, DoT remains firm that further delicensing could compromise its plans for 5G and future 6G deployments. The remaining portion of the 6 GHz spectrum is likely to be earmarked for mobility services, not unlicensed use.

Interestingly, telecom major Reliance Jio has backed the government's position after the initial 500 MHz was delicensed, even advocating for higher output power in outdoor WiFi — aligning with the tech sector. Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, meanwhile, are urging more stakeholder engagement before final decisions are taken.

Experts suggest the 6 GHz band holds the potential to deliver blazing-fast data speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps — a massive leap from the 1.3 Gbps limit on 5 GHz and 600 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. Globally, over 84 countries — including the U.S., U.K., and South Korea — have already opened up the 6 GHz band for WiFi, pushing India to tread carefully but decisively in its spectrum strategy.