Telecommunications industry body, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) has written to the Minister of Communications, Ashwini Vaishnaw, expressing concern over India’s stand on using 6GHz band for 5G purposes.
In the letter addressed to Vaishnaw, Mats Granryd, Director General of GSMA, claims that most nations are agreeing to use 6GHz band for telecommunications purposes, and recommended that India should follow suit so that 6GHz equipment ecosystem can start to develop, “which Indian operators and manufacturers can leverage.”
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At the moment, fixed-line broadband players and software giants like Meta are pushing the government to de-licence the 6GHz band so that large tech companies can get into providing public WiFi hotspots. Consequently, India has deferred to decide whether it will de-license this spectrum band or use it for telecommunications purposes in 5G and 6G.
In the letter, GSMA has characterised this lobbying as “a deliberate effort by some consultants in India for the big tech sector, aiming to secure the entire band for Wi-Fi, to advance their interests under the guise of satellite protection measures.”
“We appreciate the effort that has gone into India’s WRC-23 preparatory process and understand that the Government of India is not yet in a position nationally to identify 6 GHz for 5G and beyond. We would, however, respectfully request your intervention and support to instruct the Indian delegation at WRC-23 to not oppose the efforts of other countries to find a consensus approach for the band. This will allow for the 6 GHz equipment ecosystem to start to develop, which Indian operators and manufacturers can leverage,” GSMA added.
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GSMA argues that as the telecommunications industry looks at 6G, the 6GHz band is the only large block of mid band and contiguous spectrum.
Countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa are being joined by Russia, Brazil, Mexico and key countries in the Asia Pacific on the need for this additional mid-band spectrum. India however, has not deferred to this position.
Published on December 12, 2023
