In January 2026, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, notified the de-licensing of the lower 6 Gigahertz (GHz) band, frequencies ranging between 5925 megahertz (MHz) to 6425 MHz, to boost Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) services in India. It came into effect from January 21, 2026.
- It was formalised under the Low Power and Very Low Power Wireless Access System Rules, 2026, and unlocked the potential of Wi-Fi 6 Extended(6E) and Wi-Fi 7 technologies in India.
- What? De-licensing of lower 6 GHz spectrum
- By Whom? DoT, Ministry of Communications
- Band: 5925–6425 Megahertz (MHz)
- Spectrum accessible to: Low-Power Indoor (LPI) and Very Low-Power (VLP) outdoor devices
- Prohibited in : Vehicles, boats, drones, aircraft below 10,000 ft.
Lower 6 GHz Band De-Licensing Framework:
Spectrum Access: The government allowLow Power Indoor (LPI) and Very Low Power (VLP) outdoor devices to operate in the 6 GHz band without a licence, on a shared, non-exclusive, non-interference basis.
Power: Limits Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) to 30 dBm (Decibel-milliwatts) for LPI devices and 14 dBm for VLP outdoor systems.
Restrictions: Prohibits use in vehicles, boats, oil platforms, drones/Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and aircraft below 10,000 feet (ft).
- Restricts the band to low-power Wi-Fi use and excludes high-power mobile networks.
Technical: Mandates contention-based protocols, integrated antennas, and strict emission and spectral density controls.
Allocation: Reserves the upper 6 GHz band (6425–7125 MHz) for advanced mobile services under National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP).
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