Centre clears licence-free use of lower 6 GHz band for faster Wi-Fi networks

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• India opens 6 GHz spectrum for licence-free Wi-Fi, enhancing speeds and connectivity
• Move enables Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 for homes, offices, and enterprise campuses
• High-speed, low-latency internet to benefit gaming, AR/VR, and smart devices

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The Union government has formally opened up a crucial portion of the 6 GHz spectrum for license-exempt use, a move expected to accelerate the rollout of next-generation Wi-Fi and local area networks across homes, offices, and enterprise campuses.

With the Centre allowing licence-free use of the 5925–6425 MHz band for low-power wireless networks, households and small businesses are set to benefit from higher speeds, lower latency and better performance for streaming, gaming, video calls and connected devices—without needing new telecom licences or complex approvals.

In a notification dated January 20, 2026, the Ministry of Communications notified the 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, 2026. The rules come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

The framework allows wireless devices operating in the 5925–6425 MHz frequency band to be deployed without a licence or spectrum assignment, subject to compliance with specified technical conditions. The exemption applies to low-power indoor systems and very low-power outdoor wireless access systems, including radio local area networks, operating on a shared, non-exclusive, non-interference and non-protection basis.

The notification spells out detailed definitions and operating parameters, including caps on equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP), power spectral density, emission bandwidth and out-of-band emissions. Indoor use has been defined as operation within premises enclosed by walls and roofs that are non-transparent to radio waves, except for doors and windows.

Measurements in the lower 6 GHz band will be evaluated over a 1 MHz bandwidth, and devices are required to use contention-based protocols to manage simultaneous access to shared spectrum.

Industry executives said the decision provides long-awaited regulatory clarity for Wi-Fi 6E and future Wi-Fi 7 deployments, enabling higher speeds, lower latency and improved performance for data-intensive applications such as video streaming, enterprise connectivity and smart manufacturing.

The move follows a proposal issued by the Department of Telecommunications in May 2025 to delicence 500 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band for unlicensed indoor Wi-Fi use, a plan that had drawn opposition from incumbent telecom operators.

Technology companies have argued that existing Wi-Fi networks are unable to fully extend the throughput of 5G networks into homes and offices, and that opening up the 6 GHz band would significantly boost next-generation Wi-Fi capabilities. They have also maintained that licence-free access to the band would support India’s digital ambitions by enabling mobile data offload and freeing up licensed spectrum for other uses.

Experts note that this spectrum will enable high-speed, low-latency internet access, particularly for indoor environments, by reducing congestion and improving overall network performance. This development is essential for delivering uninterrupted, high-quality connectivity in a dense digital ecosystem. They believe that this move will impact several high-growth sectors, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, digital healthcare, gaming, and immersive technologies like AR and VR.

The band is crucial for providing high-speed WiFi and supporting next-generation gadgets such as Sony PlayStation and augmented reality/virtual reality devices from companies like Apple and Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. However, Sony could not launch its latest PlayStation 5 Pro in the country because the WiFi spectrum in the 6 GHz band was unavailable.