BIF urges government to reconsider auctioning 6 GHz band for IMT.

Alarmed by media reports suggesting government approval for refarming the 1100 MHz band and earmarking the upper 6 GHz spectrum for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) services, the Broadband India Forum (BIF) is deeply distressed by this decision and strongly urges the government to reconsider. While reports indicate a phased approach, with 320 MHz of spectrum initially slated for auction, BIF remains resolute in its belief that the 6 GHz band should be delicensed to align with global standards. This position is consistent with BIF’s long-standing advocacy, supported by the following key arguments:

 Economic Benefits of Delicensing the 6 GHz Band

The overall benefits of delicensing the 6 GHz spectrum band by 2030 far outweigh the one-off auction proceeds of licensing the band for IMT use.

• A study estimates that delicensing 6 GHz could yield recurring economic benefits of over USD 60 billion annually from 2028, with a cumulative impact of USD 180 billion by 2030.
• This is significantly higher than the one-off revenue the government would generate from auctioning this spectrum.
• According to GSMA estimates, identifying IMT in the lower 6 GHz band would yield a total GDP contribution of USD 21 billion between 2024 and 2034.
• Moreover, the burgeoning AR/VR and gaming markets, powered by delicensed 6 GHz, present immense potential for India’s telecom hardware and software exports.

 Global Alignment and Ecosystem Readiness

There is currently no licensed IMT ecosystem in the lower 6 GHz band anywhere in the world, and none is expected to emerge within the next decade.

• Globally, over 84 countries have delicensed the lower 6 GHz band (5925–6425 MHz), with more than 13 nations opening the entire 1200 MHz for unlicensed use. Australia recently added an additional 160 MHz to its delicensed band, making a total of 660 MHz, recognising the benefits of unlicensed use.
• If the lower 6 GHz spectrum band is allocated for IMT, it is unlikely that any operator will bid for it due to the lack of a global ecosystem for IMT in this band, which is not expected to develop for at least another 10 years.
• Consequently, the auction would not generate revenue for the exchequer, as no operators are likely to bid for a band that is not globally harmonised. Conversely, delicensing would align India with international trends and provide access to a mature, affordable device ecosystem.

Trusted Source Wi-Fi vs Non-Trusted Source IMT

• Modern Wi-Fi devices powered by delicensed 6 GHz are widely available from trusted sources, including Indian manufacturers. In contrast, IMT equipment for 6 GHz is currently dominated by non-trusted sources, which India has restricted.
• Allocating 6 GHz to IMT would necessitate reliance on equipment that compromises national security. Additionally, IMT deployment in the 6 GHz band would require significant infrastructure investments, including base stations and antennas, and force consumers to purchase new 5G devices, as no current 5G equipment or devices support IMT in this band.

Environmental Sustainability

• If the entire 6 GHz band were delicensed in India (with its population nearly double that of Europe and higher GDP growth), annual energy savings could amount to approximately 10–15 megatons of CO2.
• India can thus assume a leadership role in sustainable spectrum usage at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Unlocking India’s Digital Potential: The Case for Delicensing the 6 GHz Band

• The rapid growth of data-intensive applications such as Industry 5.0, artificial intelligence, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), and e-health necessitates wider bandwidth channels like 320 MHz. The 6 GHz band is uniquely suited to meet the spectrum requirements for these high-bandwidth, cutting-edge applications.
• Delicensing the 6 GHz band will empower India to harness such innovations, drive economic growth, and ensure digital self-reliance.
• The 6 GHz band complements ultra-wide broadband networks, enhancing speeds, data capacities, and overall efficiency. Larger channel bandwidths of 320 MHz improve user experiences for streaming, gaming, and other bandwidth-heavy services.

TV Ramachandran, President of BIF, said, “India is aggressively advancing its vision of becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and a leading digital economy. This requires high levels of digitalisation across all key economic sectors. IMT in the 6 GHz band not only fails to meet the advanced digitalisation needs of sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, health, and education but also poses a serious security risk by relying on telecom infrastructure equipment sourced predominantly from ‘non-trusted’ countries. Conversely, delicensed 6 GHz can easily address these requirements, as its ecosystem is globally available and deployed in over 84 countries. We strongly urge the government to immediately delicense the lower 500 MHz of the 6 GHz band and an additional 160 MHz from the 300 MHz held back until 2030.”