From 6G dreams to satellite realities: Decoding the next telecom frontier

A compelling session at the COAI Dialogues 2025 brought an unusual energy to the room, with Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel, Jagbir Singh, CTO, Vodafone Idea, and Digvijay Sharma, Senior Director Sales, Ciena Communications, a blend of humour, candour, and hard-nosed realism about the future of networks. Moderated in a lively style by Rajiv Makhni, a Tech journalist who encouraged unscripted exchanges, the panel set out to explore whether the telecom industry’s most ambitious visions are dreams worth chasing or distractions from more immediate realities.

At the heart of the discussion lay three critical themes: the promise and limitations of 6G, the role of satellite connectivity in expanding access, and the viability of private networks in industrial environments. Together, these conversations reflected both the aspirations and the pragmatism defining India’s telecom journey as it moves towards the government’s “Viksit Bharat” 2047 vision.

6G: Dream or distraction?

The session opened with a provocation: Is 6G merely a dream today, or a future-defining technology worth the pursuit?

The responses from two of India’s leading Chief Technology Officers were refreshingly candid. One rated 6G’s current promise as a “four out of ten,” while another went further, calling it “2.8.” Such guarded optimism underscored a critical reality: while the global race for 6G is underway, the immediate excitement remains limited by the lack of clarity around use cases, ecosystem maturity, and commercial viability.

Their assessment is not without merit. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has set preliminary directions for 6G research, envisioning a world where “networks of networks” connect humans, machines, and even the natural environment. India, through initiatives such as the Bharat 6G Alliance, has signalled its intent to play a leadership role. Yet, as this panel highlighted, industry leaders remain cautious about overhyping the technology before the practical building blocks are in place.

Satellites in the sky are a strong bet

If 6G invited scepticism, satellite connectivity inspired considerably more enthusiasm. One speaker rated its potential as eight out of ten, emphasising that for large parts of India, particularly underserved rural and remote areas, satellite services could prove far more transformative in the near term than waiting for terrestrial 6G networks.

The timing of this optimism is notable. With Elon Musk’s Starlink, OneWeb (backed by Bharti Airtel), and Amazon’s Project Kuiper all making headlines globally, India is at the cusp of a satellite connectivity revolution. The regulatory framework for Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) is already evolving, with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently issuing recommendations on spectrum sharing and licensing for satellite broadband.

If realised effectively, satellite networks could bridge the digital divide that has long plagued rural India, enabling connectivity for schools, healthcare centres, farms, and local enterprises.

Private networks: The industrial play

The discussion also touched on the role of private 5G networks in factories, ports, and airports, environments where latency, reliability, and security are mission-critical. Here, the tone shifted from cautious speculation to determination.

Industry executives made clear that private networks are not an abstract future but a tangible opportunity today, with clear industrial use cases. Globally, we are already witnessing pilots across manufacturing hubs, logistics facilities, and smart campuses. In India, too, companies in the automotive, steel, and aviation sectors are beginning to experiment with captive 5G deployments.

For a country positioning itself as a global manufacturing powerhouse under “Make in India” and “Digital India”, this could be one of the most immediate ways telecom technology drives productivity gains.

Balancing vision with pragmatism

What stood out in this session was the industry’s willingness to separate hype from reality. While 6G remains aspirational, satellites and private networks are rapidly climbing the priority ladder.

This nuanced outlook also reflects the evolution of India’s telecom narrative. No longer content with being a late adopter, India now aspires to shape global standards, policies, and innovation roadmaps. Yet, as these leaders reminded the audience, true progress lies in balancing long-term vision with the practical demands of today.

The message was clear: India’s telecom future will not be defined by a single breakthrough but by a convergence of technologies, terrestrial and non-terrestrial, public and private, incremental and radical.