Spectrum puzzle threatens India’s 5G and 6G ambitions

At the COAI Dialogues, Vodafone Idea Chief Technology Officer Jagbir Singh presented concerns that India’s spectrum pricing and fragmented governance could stall the nation’s journey from 5G to 6G. He called for rationalised pricing, a unified spectrum database, and stronger collaboration between government and industry.

A veteran’s concerns from the frontlines

With more than 25 years in the telecoms industry, Jagbir Singh has seen India’s networks move from 2G to 5G. He argued that the next leap to 6G will not be possible unless spectrum is treated as a shared national resource, managed carefully, and made affordable for operators.

“Every five years, networks evolve. But the spectrum cannot be manufactured. Its careful allocation is our greatest challenge,” Singh said.

He explained how earlier transitions were eased through spectrum refarming. Much of the 3G hardware could be upgraded to 4G with software changes. For 5G, however, India lacked such continuity because the key 3.3 to 3.8 GHz band had no historical allocation.

Fragmented governance and steep costs

Singh was most critical of India’s disjointed approach to spectrum. Multiple bodies, including the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), ISRO, and the Ministry of Defence, hold separate allocations. Yet no centralised database exists to reveal what spectrum is available, who holds it, and how it is used.

“How do we plan for the future if there is no single window that shows the spectrum map?” he asked, urging the creation of a national registry.

Pricing is another barrier. Indian operators, he said, pay up to ten times the global average for mobile broadband spectrum. “We buy the same equipment as the rest of the world, from Nokia, Ericsson, and Samsung, but are charged far more for spectrum. This imbalance is unsustainable,” Singh warned.

Satellites and the role of non-terrestrial networks

Singh also pointed to the growing role of satellite communications. With firms such as Amazon and OneWeb entering the market, satellite broadband could extend connectivity to rural regions, support enterprise applications, and enable the Internet of Things (IoT).

“Satellite must complement terrestrial networks rather than compete with them. Its pricing and use cases should reflect that it is an enabler for uncovered areas, from disaster zones to aviation,” Singh said.

He emphasised that mid-band and low-band allocations will be decisive for India’s 5G and 6G future. China, for example, has already deployed the 2.5 GHz and 2.7 GHz bands for industrial 5G, while India’s use of these frequencies remains minimal.

Three urgent priorities

Singh concluded with a clear call to action:

• Rational spectrum pricing aligned with international benchmarks.

• A unified, transparent spectrum database accessible to all stakeholders.

• A coherent policy framework to integrate terrestrial and satellite networks, support IoT, and prepare for 6G.

His warning was sharp: “Spectrum is the lifeblood of telecoms. Unless we treat it with foresight and fairness, India risks falling behind in the global race for digital leadership.”

India in the global race

Across the world, governments are treating spectrum as strategic infrastructure. The United States’ 5G FAST Plan, Europe’s Digital Compass, and China’s state-backed 6G research are examples of such proactive frameworks.

Singh’s remarks underscored India’s delicate balance: providing affordable connectivity to more than a billion people while ensuring operators remain financially viable, even as defence, space, and enterprise sectors compete for bandwidth.

The choices made today will determine whether India leads, lags, or follows in the next decade of telecom innovation.