Who Will Control India’s 6GHz Spectrum? Jio, Vodafone, Airtel vs Apple, Amazon, Meta, Intel
Jio asks the government to put the entire 1200 MHz in auction, but Meta, Apple, Intel and others oppose, saying ‘not ready for mobile yet.’
Big telecom companies like Jio, Vodafone, Airtel are in a huge disagreement with other tech giants like Meta, Intel, Cisco, HP and Amazon. They all want a piece of the 6GHz band. The telecom companies say to put 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band in the next spectrum auction. And the tech companies argue that this band is ‘not ready for mobile yet.’ So, despite all these discussions, what did the Indian government decide? And what will the impact be? For all that, learn more?
Two Sides Are Fighting for Different Purposes:
Side 1: Telecom Companies (Jio, Vodafone Idea, Partly Airtel)
COAI’s (telecom lobby group that includes Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone) counterargument is that giving any part to Wi-Fi will hurt government revenue.- These companies want the 6GHz band for mobile networks. The goal is to push 5G and the future of 6G in India.
Why? A band like 6GHz can carry high-speed mobile data with ease, especially in crowded cities.
Jio’s Demand:
The company wants the government to include the entire 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band in the next spectrum auction.
For the record, 500 MHz of that band is already set aside for Wi-Fi.
Vodafone’s Idea:
It wants the government to auction at least the 400 MHz that is ready right now.
Airtel Suggested:
Not to rush on it as the ecosystem (devices + equipment) is not ready yet.
Side 2: Apple, Amazon, Meta, Intel, Cisco, HP (US Tech Giants)
These companies argue that the entire 6GHz band should be used for Wi-Fi, not mobile networks.
And why?
Because good Wi-Fi connectivity can benefit their products (phones, laptops, VR headsets, etc), they work better:
- Boosts indoor connectivity.
- Devices work faster.
- Less congestion.
- According to them, “the 6GHz band is NOT ready for mobile networks.”
Specifically because:
- Not ready technically.
- Not ready commercially.
- So, India should NOT set any deadline for auctioning it for mobile use.
These companies want TRAI and DoT to wait for global decisions from WRC-27 (World Radiocommunication Conference 2027). This will look at the 7.125–8.4 GHz range.
They suggested that any unused part of the band shall be temporarily given for unlicensed Wi-Fi use.
What the Government Wants: A Mixed Model
The government is trying to have a mix here; it planned a split:
- 400 MHz → Ready for auction.
- 300 MHz → Will be available by 2030.
- 500 MHz → Already kept for unlicensed use (Wi-Fi).
- The lower part (5925–6425 MHz) is already for Wi-Fi.
- Upper parts (6425–6725 & 6725–7125 MHz) are under debate.
Qualcomm’s Point of View
- Qualcomm says that the Upper 6GHz band is crucial for future 6G.
- According to Qualcomm, countries such as China, Brazil, and many European nations are considering using the entire 700 MHz band for 6G.
- And suggested that India wait and align with the global standards.
Sarika Anand
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