Government Delicenses Lower 6 GHz Band: Faster Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 Speeds Coming Soon

The demand for faster internet and seamless connectivity keeps surging in India. The Indian government is pushing the boundaries for advanced wireless technologies by proposing major regulatory changes. These changes are aimed at unlocking key spectrum resources and are also setting the stage for broader public access to a critical portion of the 6 Hz frequency band. The Central government took this move to bring the future of high-speed connectivity.

With evolving global trends and a tech-savvy population, there’s growing interest in tapping into new frequency bands that can support cutting-edge innovations like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. This will surely give a boost to broadband networks and tech-driven infrastructure across the country.

What is Draft Rules for Delicensing of the 6 Hz Spectrum Band:

The Central Government has released a draft rules in order to delicense the lower portion of the 6 Hz spectrum band. As per rules, “Use of Low Power and Very Low Power Wireless Access System including Radio Local Area Network in Lower 6 GHz band (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2025.”

This applies to the 5925–6425 MHz frequency range. The rules were issues under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. The rules will enable the use of low-power and very low-power wireless equipment, particularly benefiting broadband providers and technology firms using Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. Telecommunications Act, 2023.

Gazette Notification:

The recent Gazette Notification by the Indian government is eliminating the need for the authorization to use the low-power and very low-power wireless devices in the 5925–6425 MHz band. This rule aligns India with countries like the USA and those in the EU. These developed countries have already opened this band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use.

However, telecom operators, through COAI and GSMA, argue for auctioning the 6 GHz spectrum to meet future 5G/6G needs, while tech firms and industry groups like BIF and IAFI advocate for unlicensed access, citing economic benefits and the need to boost affordable, high-speed internet across India.