Major American tech companies including Apple, Amazon, Cisco, Meta, HP, and Intel have collectively pushed back against the request by India’s telecom giants Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea to allocate the six gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band for mobile services.
Backing their opposition, the tech giants urged regulators to reserve the entire 6 GHz band exclusively for Wi-Fi services.
In their joint submission to India’s telecom regulator, TRAI, during the consultation on the upcoming spectrum auction, the U.S. tech firms argued that the 6 GHz band is neither technically nor commercially ready for mobile network deployment.
READ: Japanese SoftBank PayPay faces hurdle amid US government shutdown (
“We do not recommend setting timelines for any future auction of the 6425-6725 MHz and 7025-7125 MHz ranges for IMT. TRAI, together with the Department of Telecommunications, should review the allocation of the upper 6 GHz band following the outcomes of WRC-27, including Agenda Item 1.7 concerning 7.125-8.4 GHz,” the joint submission said.
The companies further suggested that any portion of the upper 6 GHz spectrum that is not immediately utilized should be opened for unlicensed use on an interim basis, allowing Wi-Fi and other low-power technologies to bridge the connectivity gap. According to government plans, 400 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz range will be available for auction soon, with another 300 MHz expected to be released by 2030. Additionally, 500 MHz has been earmarked for delicensing, making it accessible for low-power applications, including Wi-Fi services.
Despite the government’s plan to delicense 500 MHz of the lower 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi and other low-power uses, Reliance Jio has urged regulators to include the full 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the upcoming auction. The company maintains that the entire band, including both lower and upper ranges, should be made available for mobile services to support the expansion of 5G and future 6G networks.
The newly identified 6425–6725 MHz and 6725–7125 MHz blocks are part of the upper 6 GHz band, covering the 6425–7125 MHz range. These frequencies are viewed by telecom operators as valuable for improving network capacity, though tech firms argue they are better suited for high-performance Wi-Fi applications.
Vodafone Idea has requested that 400 MHz of the 6 GHz spectrum currently available for use be offered in the next auction. Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel has called for a postponement of the 6 GHz auction, citing concerns over ecosystem readiness, including device availability, network infrastructure, and the lack of global standardization.
U.S.-based chipset manufacturer Qualcomm has echoed similar concerns, highlighting the need for a more mature ecosystem before the spectrum is deployed for mobile services.
“The upper 6 GHz band is critical for mobile growth in India and it may be noted that several other countries like China, Brazil and European countries are considering the entire 700 MHz in this Upper 6 GHz band for 6G. By deferring the auction of the 6425-6725 MHz and 7025-7125 MHz bands until after WRC-27, India safeguards its 6G future, aligns with global standards, and honours its leadership aspirations,” Qualcomm said.
READ: Foxconn, SoftBank team up on Stargate data center project in Ohio (
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing major telecom players including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, has voiced strong opposition to the government’s plan to delicense the 6 GHz band.
“Delicensing is misleading and counterproductive. Licensed IMT spectrum ensures quality-of-service, predictable performance and nationwide scalability, all of which are vital for Digital Bharat and 6G applications such as connected mobility, automation and industrial networks,” COAI said.
COAI further added, “moreover, unlicensed Wi-Fi deployments by global OTT players and device manufacturers could preclude licensed usage in the band, reduce exchequer revenues and give disproportionate advantage to foreign OTT players, creating an inequitable environment for telecom operators.”