The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India has formally introduced its National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025), though it has encountered opposition from mobile operators who opine it does not sufficiently address the nation’s future connectivity requirements.
The NFAP-2025, operational since December 30, 2025, outlines the management and allocation of the radio frequency spectrum throughout India. The DoT states that the policy’s objective is to synchronize the national spectrum policy with international standards, while also fostering emerging technologies and next-generation connectivity.
In line with this plan, the spectrum ranging from 8.3 kHz to 3000 GHz is designated for assorted radio communication services. The government asserts this will facilitate the deployment of 5G, 5G-Advanced, prospective 6G networks, satellite broadband services, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.
Dissent, however, has surfaced over the earmarking of the upper 6 GHz band, particularly the 6425–7125 MHz range for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). While increasing the mid-band spectrum availability for mobile services, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) contends it’s insufficient. The COAI has reasserted its established demand that the entire 6 GHz band, spanning 5925-7125 MHz, should be allocated for IMT usage.
This disagreement partly arises from the government’s previous decision, declared in May 2025, to deregulate 500 MHz of spectrum in the lower 6 GHz band for indoor Wi-Fi use with low power. While expected to hasten the launch of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, operators maintain it diminishes the spectrum available for wide-area mobile networks.
COAI’s Director-General, Dr. SP Kochhar, has cautioned that catering to future data demand will necessitate considerably larger, continuous blocks of mid-band spectrum. He projected that every operator will require a minimum of 400 MHz of such spectrum to provide affordable, high-quality 5G and future 6G services.
In Dr. Kochhar’s view, next-generation networks will increasingly depend on large, uninterrupted spectrum blocks to support ultra-high data throughput, low latency, immersive digital services, applications driven by artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and intelligent mobility.
As India propels its digital transformation, the debate on the optimal way to balance spectrum allocation between mobile networks, Wi-Fi services, and emerging technologies in the 6 GHz band is projected to escalate.
What is the main aim of India’s National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025)?
The primary objective of NFAP-2025 is to align national spectrum policy with global standards while supporting emerging technologies and next-generation connectivity across India.
What is the contention within the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) regarding the NFAP-2025?
The COAI argues that the allocation of the upper 6 GHz band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) is insufficient. They demand that the entire 6 GHz band should be allocated for IMT usage.
What future requirements of mobile operators does Dr. SP Kochhar highlight?
Dr. Kochhar emphasizes the need for considerably large, uninterrupted blocks of mid-band spectrum to cater to future data demand, projecting a minimum requirement of 400 MHz per operator to deliver high-quality 5G and future 6G services.
