US Tech Giants Apple, Amazon, Cisco, and Meta Oppose Indian Telcos' Demand for 6 GHz Band Spectrum

Major US tech companies, including Apple, Amazon, Cisco, Meta, HP, and Intel, have collectively opposed the request by Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea to allocate the 6 GHz spectrum band for mobile services. Instead, these tech giants advocate for the entire 6 GHz band to be designated for Wi-Fi services. They argue that the technical and commercial readiness of this band for mobile services is not yet established.

In their joint response to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) consultation paper on the upcoming spectrum auction, these companies stated that they do not support setting timelines for any future auction of the 6425-6725 MHz and 7025-7125 MHz ranges for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). They recommend that TRAI and the Department of Telecommunications review the allocation of the upper 6 GHz band after the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27), which will address Agenda Item 1.7 concerning 7.125-8.4 GHz.

6 GHz Spectrum Allocation Debate

The government has announced that 400 MHz of frequencies in the 6 GHz range are available for auction. Additionally, 300 MHz will be available by 2030, and 500 MHz will be delicensed for low-power applications like Wi-Fi services. Reliance Jio has requested that the entire 1200 MHz spectrum in the 6 GHz band be included in the upcoming auction, despite plans to delicense 500 MHz for low-power use.

The newly identified bands of 6425-6725 MHz and 6725-7125 MHz are part of the upper 6 GHz range. The government has decided to delicense the lower 6 GHz band (5925-6425 MHz) for low-power applications, primarily Wi-Fi. Vodafone Idea has also called for putting 400 MHz of available spectrum up for sale in the next auction.

Industry Perspectives on Spectrum Use

Airtel has requested a delay in auctioning the 6 GHz band due to challenges related to ecosystem readiness, such as device availability and network equipment compatibility. Qualcomm, a US-based chipset giant, shares Airtel's concerns. Qualcomm emphasises that deferring the auction until after WRC-27 will align India with global standards and support its leadership aspirations in mobile technology.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing members like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, opposes delicensing the 6 GHz band. COAI argues that licensed IMT spectrum ensures quality service, predictable performance, and nationwide scalability essential for Digital Bharat and future applications like connected mobility and industrial networks.

Concerns Over Delicensing

COAI warns that delicensing even part of the 6 GHz band could permanently prevent its use for licensed mobile broadband services. This action could limit India's long-term digital capacity and hinder affordable service provision. Additionally, unlicensed Wi-Fi deployments by global OTT players might preclude licensed usage in this band, reducing government revenue and creating an unfair advantage for foreign OTT players over telecom operators.

Qualcomm highlights that several countries like China, Brazil, and European nations are considering using the entire upper 6 GHz band for future mobile technologies like 6G. By postponing auctions of specific bands until after WRC-27, India can secure its position in future mobile advancements while aligning with international practices.

With inputs from PTI