India’s telecom industry says it won’t repeat the mistakes of 5G when it comes to 6G. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) says telcos will invest in 6G only once real, compelling use cases exist.
“We have to first find use cases. We can’t repeat the same mistake that the world has made with 5G,” said Lt Gen Dr SP Kochhar, Director General of COAI. He added that the expected use cases for 5G never fully materialized, and the industry wants to avoid the same outcome with 6G.
COAI represents major private telcos, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, along with vendors like Cisco and Ciena.
India’s Push to Lead in 6G
Kochhar’s comments come as India works to become an early player in global 6G development. The government launched its Bharat 6G Vision in 2023, aiming to make India a leading contributor to 6G design and deployment by 2030.
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The Bharat 6G Alliance brings together telcos, vendors, startups, and academic institutions to drive 6G research and standardisation. India has also set a target of securing 10% of global 6G patents. So far, the Department of Telecommunications has approved more than 100 6G research projects.
5G Investments Still Haven’t Paid Off
Kochhar said the more pressing issue right now is recovering the massive money telcos already spent on 5G. New revenue streams like fixed wireless access (FWA) and network slicing are only “small steps,” he said, and it’s too early to know if they’ll deliver strong returns.
When asked about the industry’s biggest challenge, Kochhar simply said, “money.” He pointed out that telcos are still spending heavily on 5G rollout without clear monetisation, and now 6G will demand even more investment.
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To ease this burden, he called for lower spectrum prices, reduced regulatory fees, faster resolution of pending GST credits and bank guarantees, and quicker Right of Way (RoW) reforms to cut deployment costs.
Kochhar also backed the idea of “Make in India” telecom equipment, but stressed it must be globally competitive and interoperable with international systems.
On network slicing, he referenced Bharti Airtel’s new Fast Lane service, which has raised net neutrality concerns. Kochhar defended the technology, saying, “If network slicing is not there, what is the difference between 4G and 5G?”
He also repeated COAI’s long-standing demand for equal regulatory treatment between satellite and terrestrial telecom players, calling for a level playing field on spectrum and licensing.
Samarjit Kaur is a journalist and communications professional covering technology & emerging digital trends. With a focus on clarity and context, she reports on developments shaping industries and governance. When not reporting, she chooses to plug-in and relax on her playlists and plan her next bucket-list trips!
