Telecom Giants Urge Ban on WiFi 6E Routers in India Over Spectrum Concerns

In a significant move, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has called for an immediate ban on the sale of Wi-Fi 6E routers that operate on the 6 GHz spectrum band. This request was made through a letter addressed to the Department of Telecom (DoT) on April 15, highlighting concerns over the legality of such sales. The COAI, which includes major telecom players like Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, has raised alarms over these devices being sold on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, and Moglix, as well as by offline traders.

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The crux of the issue lies in the fact that the 6 GHz band has not yet been assigned or declared as licence-exempt by the government for Wi-Fi use. According to COAI Director General SP Kochhar, selling equipment that utilizes this band for data transmission without authorization is illegal and constitutes unauthorized transmissions within India. The letter to DoT emphasized that a policy decision regarding the 6 GHz band utilization is still pending, making any sale of Wi-Fi 6E products that operate in this spectrum illegal.

Further complicating matters, the COAI provided an annexure with the letter that included sample links to Wi-Fi routers from brands like TP-Link and Google, which are available for purchase on various online platforms. Despite reaching out to Amazon, Flipkart, Moglix, and Google with email queries regarding this issue, responses were notably absent. However, it was noted that Moglix took action by removing the listed product after being contacted.

Kochhar expressed concern over the potential liability issues for consumers using these unauthorized devices. He stressed that customers could unknowingly become responsible for these illegal transmissions, thereby shifting the burden from sellers to innocent consumers. This situation underscores the need for regulatory intervention to prevent further unauthorized sales and use of Wi-Fi 6E products operating in the 6 GHz band.

In conclusion, the COAI has urged the Department of Telecom to take decisive action by issuing a notification that would enforce a complete ban on the sale of such Wi-Fi products across India. This would include both offline and online sales through e-commerce websites and platforms. The association's proactive stance aims to safeguard legal compliance in telecom equipment sales while protecting consumers from unwittingly engaging in unauthorized activities.