Latest news with #TVRamachandran
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tech companies seek higher power limit for Wi-Fi devices
New Delhi: The technology industry wants the power levels permitted for Wi-Fi and other devices to be used under the 6 GHz spectrum band to be reviewed and aligned with global standards, so that users can get the best performances and devices remain affordable. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has come out with draft rules for use of low power and very low power wireless systems in the lower 6 GHz band, which has been delicensed, or will be allocated without auctions. Once the consultation on the draft rules is over, the final rules will be notified allowing the latest Wi-Fi routers and gaming consoles to work in India. As per experts, the current power levels proposed by DoT may limit the range and throughput of very low power devices. The DoT has proposed a maximum power spectral density (PSD) level of -5 dBm/MHz and total transmit power of 14 dBm for such devices. The industry wants it to be revised to 1 dBm/MHz for very low power indoor and outdoor devices otherwise it could have a major impact on the performance of Wi-Fi advanced applications such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) collectively, which demand high throughput and latency performance Although this increase is not beneficial to applications requiring wide channel bandwidth sizes of 80/160/320MHz, it can incrementally help with very low power applications utilising 20 MHz and 40 MHz channel sizes. As per Broadband India Forum (BIF), which counts tech majors like Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon as members, the permitted power levels need to be reviewed so as to permit equitable distribution of devices in indoor and outdoor environments. 'Also, it needs to be aligned with global best practices to enable use of affordably priced devices in India,' BIF President TV Ramachandran said. He also reiterated the demand to delicense another 160 MHz spectrum in the 6 GHz band so that the full economic benefits can be realised. The government has so far delicensed 500 MHz spectrum ((5925-6425 MHz) in the band. 'The complete benefits of license exemption of 6GHz spectrum band can only be realised when at least an additional 160 MHz is delicensed – bringing the total to at least 660 MHz,' Ramachandran said. Experts said the 6 GHz band can offer data speeds of up to 9.6 gigabits per second (Gbps), against 1.3 Gbps in the 5 GHz band and 600 megabit per second (Mbps) in the 2.4 GHz band. Over 84 countries, including the US, UK and South Korea, have already delicensed the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi services. Wi-Fi services are currently offered in India through the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. These are congested and offer limited speeds and capacity for data-heavy applications such as online gaming, internet of things, assisted reality and virtual reality.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tech companies seek higher power limit for Wi-Fi devices
The tech industry urges a review of Wi-Fi power levels in the 6 GHz band. They seek alignment with global standards for better performance and affordable devices. The Department of Telecommunications is drafting rules for low-power wireless systems. Industry experts believe current power levels may limit device range. Broadband India Forum requests delicensing of additional spectrum for economic benefits. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The technology industry wants the power levels permitted for Wi-Fi and other devices to be used under the 6 GHz spectrum band to be reviewed and aligned with global standards, so that users can get the best performances and devices remain Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has come out with draft rules for use of low power and very low power wireless systems in the lower 6 GHz band, which has been delicensed, or will be allocated without auctions. Once the consultation on the draft rules is over, the final rules will be notified allowing the latest Wi-Fi routers and gaming consoles to work in per experts, the current power levels proposed by DoT may limit the range and throughput of very low power devices. The DoT has proposed a maximum power spectral density (PSD) level of -5 dBm/MHz and total transmit power of 14 dBm for such industry wants it to be revised to 1 dBm/MHz for very low power indoor and outdoor devices otherwise it could have a major impact on the performance of Wi-Fi advanced applications such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) collectively, which demand high throughput and latency this increase is not beneficial to applications requiring wide channel bandwidth sizes of 80/160/320MHz, it can incrementally help with very low power applications utilising 20 MHz and 40 MHz channel per Broadband India Forum (BIF), which counts tech majors like Meta, Google, Microsoft, Amazon as members, the permitted power levels need to be reviewed so as to permit equitable distribution of devices in indoor and outdoor environments."Also, it needs to be aligned with global best practices to enable use of affordably priced devices in India," BIF President TV Ramachandran also reiterated the demand to delicense another 160 MHz spectrum in the 6 GHz band so that the full economic benefits can be realised. The government has so far delicensed 500 MHz spectrum ((5925-6425 MHz) in the band."The complete benefits of license exemption of 6GHz spectrum band can only be realised when at least an additional 160 MHz is delicensed - bringing the total to at least 660 MHz," Ramachandran 84 countries, including the US, UK and South Korea, have already delicensed the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi services.
India Today
20-05-2025
- India Today
Centre pushes draft rules to free up 6 GHz spectrum for Wi-Fi 6E and 7 networks
The Indian government has proposed a new rule to allow the use of a faster Wi-Fi frequency called the 6 GHz band — but only indoors. This means Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers can now use this special frequency, which was previously not allowed. Most routers today use the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands, but those are crowded and can slow things down. The 6 GHz band is less crowded and faster. Many countries like the US and the UK already use it, and it looks like India is joining Centre has released a draft rule to delicense a portion of the 6 GHz spectrum — specifically from 5925 MHz to 6425 MHz. This means people can use this part of the frequency without needing special government permission or a licence, as long as it's for indoor use. This move will mainly help Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices, which are built to use the 6 GHz band. Until now, these routers were stuck using only the older 5 GHz band in India, which is already per the draft rules: 'No authorisation or frequency assignment shall be required to establish, maintain, work, possess or deal in any wireless equipment for the purpose of Lower Power Indoor and Very Low Power outdoor wireless access systems operating in the frequency band 5925-6425 MHz on non-interference, non-protection and shared (non-exclusive) basis.'advertisementIn simple terms, you just need to know that if you have a Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, or maybe you are planning to get one in the future, you could benefit from faster internet speeds, lower delay or lag and smoother video calls, gaming, and streaming. But remember, this only applies to indoor use. The new band can't be used in cars, boats, planes, or for drones. Also, only low-power devices are allowed, so it doesn't interfere with groups like IAFI and BIF have praised this move. They say it will help boost digital access, especially for schools, hospitals, and rural areas. It also brings India closer to what over 100 countries are already doing. Bharat Bhatia, President of IAFI, called it a 'visionary' decision, adding that it 'aligns India with global digital growth and opens doors for next-generation connectivity.'However, BIF added that 500 MHz is a good start, but more of the 6 GHz band should be opened in the future to get the full benefits. 'While a notable milestone, this is just the prologue to the full story,' said BIF President TV Ramachandran, urging for an additional 160 MHz to be delicensed.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Centre issues draft rules to delicense lower segment of 6 GHz band for indoor use
The Centre has released draft rules proposing the delicensing of the lower segment of the 6 GHz band for unlicensed indoor use. The move, which applies to the 5925–6425 MHz frequency band, is aimed at enabling next-generation Wi-Fi technologies and supporting data-heavy applications. According to the draft, no authorisation or frequency assignment will be required for establishing or operating wireless equipment for Low Power Indoor (LPI) and Very Low Power Outdoor (VLP) wireless systems, including radio local area networks, on a non-interference, non-protection, and shared basis, PTI reported. The draft outlines technical parameters, proposing a power cap of 30 dBm (decibel-milliwatts) for Low Power Indoor devices—significantly lower than the 53 dBm allowed in the 5 GHz band—to prevent interference. It also includes operational restrictions, prohibiting indoor use of such devices on oil platforms, land vehicles like cars and trains, boats, and aircraft—except when flying above 10,000 feet. Additionally, communication with and control of drones and unmanned aerial systems is explicitly banned. The ITU-APT Foundation of India (IAFI) welcomed the move, calling it 'visionary' and stating that it will pave the way for unlicensed use of a key mid-band spectrum segment by low-power wireless systems, including Wi-Fi 6E and upcoming Wi-Fi 7 technologies. "This bold move by the government is a game-changer for India's digital future. This decision aligns India with over 100 countries that have already opened up the 6GHz band, including the US, UK, South Korea, and members of the EU," said Bharat Bhatia, President of IAFI. IAFI noted that the 6 GHz band is a clean and expansive spectrum range, free from legacy congestion seen in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The spectrum is crucial to accommodate the rising bandwidth demands from 4K video streaming, AR/VR, online gaming, IoT services, and high-resolution video conferencing. "Wi-Fi 6E, operating in this newly delicensed band, promises speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, ultra-low latency, and greater capacity, delivering a quantum leap in user experience and digital productivity," the foundation added. Industry group Broadband India Forum (BIF) also lauded the draft notification but emphasised that delicensing a portion of the band may not be enough to fully unlock its potential. "A fraction of the band cannot deliver the full-scale impact we seek", BIF said, describing the draft as a much-needed first step towards India's digital and economic transformation. It noted that more than 84 countries have already delicensed either part or all of the 6 GHz band. BIF President TV Ramachandran underlined the need for additional spectrum to be delicensed for maximum benefit. "While a notable milestone, this is just the prologue to the full story. The true transformative power of the 6GHz band can only be harnessed when we move beyond this initial suboptimal chunk of 500 MHz," he said. He added that delicensing an additional 160 MHz—raising the total to at least 660 MHz—would allow two users to simultaneously access 320 MHz channels for high-speed data use, enabling broader deployment of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. "An adequate chunk of delicensed 6 GHz band is required in order to power next-generation technologies like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 which are set to become foundational to our Digital Public Infrastructure. This would serve as the backbone for delivering affordable, high-speed, low-latency connectivity—powering smart schools, hospitals, factories, cities and villages and breathe life into the vision of Viksit Bharat," Ramachandran said. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
