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Indian Cabinet Approves Refarming of 687 MHz Spectrum for Telecoms

Paving the way for further growth of India's telecom industry, the Indian government has approved the refarming of 687 megahertz (MHz) spectrum for the telecom industry, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed about this development.

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Zia Askari
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Paving the way for further growth of India’s telecom industry, the Indian government has approved the refarming of 687 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum for the telecom industry from different ministries, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed about this development at the Cellular Operators Association of India’s (COAI) ‘Digicom Summit’ in New Delhi.

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This move is set to drive faster rollout of 5G services across the country, resulting in grot of telecom sector and prepare us as a nation to better embrace the 6G era.

Speaking at the ‘Digicom Summit’ the Minister informed that India has a deficit of 1,100 MHz of spectrum that needs to be fulfilled by 2030 and this is an important step towards this direction.

“Cabinet has approved 687 MHz of spectrum to be refarmed. 320 MHz will be released immediately, some by the end of next year and the rest by year 2028–29, which will make our industry ready for 2030,” Scindia explained.

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It is important to note that this refarming of radio spectrum is being done to meet the telecom industry’s requirements of 4G, 5G and later, 6G services rollout.

“We are very pleased to note the announcement made by the Hon’ble Minister of Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia during the DIGICOM 2025 event, that the ongoing exercise for refarming spectrum for IMT services by a Committee of Secretaries has been completed in the first phase, and that the Cabinet has approved the reallocation of 687 MHZ of spectrum for IMT. The COAI has forcefully and logically propagated that the Indian ecosystem requires 2000 MHz of spectrum for IMT, and we are very happy to note from the Minister’s address that this quantity has been accepted by the Cabinet under the advice of the Minister of Communications and  that they have already allocated the spectrum that takes our holding to 320 MHz in the first phase, thus leaving a deficit of around 400 MHz which should be made up in the subsequent submissions by the Committee of Secretaries, to the cabinet.

It is extremely heartening to know that concrete steps have been taken and are being taken to firstly, recognize our demand of 2000 MHz for the IMT band, and actually taking strategic steps to allocate part of it to IMT immediately and continue this exercise so that 2000 MHz can be achieved.

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This will enable rollout and providing of better 5G services to the entire nation at large, which is the broad aim of the Government and the industry. COAI thanks the MOC for choosing the DIGICOM Summit 2025 platform to make these important announcement and we look forward to working together to further fill up the gaps that will propel the 5G services to the optimum level,” commented, Lt. Gen. Dr. S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI.

Refarming of Spectrum and Its Advantages for Telecom Operators

The telecommunications industry has experienced an exponential surge in demand for high-speed and reliable connectivity in recent years. As data consumption continues to grow, telecom operators face significant challenges in efficiently utilizing the limited spectrum resources available to meet this demand. 

Spectrum refarming, the process of re-allocating or re-purposing existing frequency bands for newer and more efficient technologies, has emerged as a strategic solution. This paper examines the concept of spectrum refarming, its advantages for telecom operators, and its broader implications for the telecommunications sector.

Understanding Spectrum Refarming

Spectrum refarming refers to the reallocation of frequency bands from legacy technologies (such as 2G, 3G or 4G bands) to modern wireless technologies like 4G LTE, 5G or in the near future – 6G. With advancements in telecommunications, older technologies often become less relevant or underutilized. Spectrum refarming ensures that these valuable frequency resources are not wasted but instead repurposed for higher-efficiency use cases.

Regulators and telecom operators play pivotal roles in the refarming process. While regulators establish the framework for spectrum reallocation, operators develop strategies to migrate existing users from legacy systems to advanced networks with minimal service disruption.

Types of Spectrum Refarming 

1. Partial Refarming: Some of the spectrum in a particular band is repurposed while maintaining support for legacy technologies in the remaining portion.

2. Full Refarming: The entire spectrum band is reallocated for a new technology, requiring a complete transition of users from the older system.

3. Band Refarming: Spectrum from multiple bands is combined and reallocated for a single advanced technology, such as 5G.

4. Dynamic Spectrum Refarming: This involves real-time allocation of spectrum based on traffic patterns, allowing operators to optimize frequency usage dynamically.

Case Studies of Successful Spectrum Refarming

Several telecom operators worldwide have successfully leveraged spectrum refarming to enhance their networks:

1. Europe Many European operators have refarmed 2G spectrum in the 900 MHz band for 4G LTE deployment. This move has significantly improved network coverage and capacity, particularly in rural areas.

2. United States In the U.S., operators like T-Mobile and AT&T have actively refarmed spectrum from legacy 3G networks to support 5G rollouts. These efforts have enabled the rapid expansion of 5G services across the country.

Future of Spectrum Refarming

As the telecommunications landscape continues to evolve, spectrum refarming will remain a critical strategy for operators. The ongoing rollout of 5G networks and the anticipated development of 6G technologies will require even more efficient use of spectrum resources. Additionally, dynamic spectrum sharing and cognitive radio technologies are expected to play a key role in optimizing frequency utilization.

Governments and regulators will also need to adapt their policies to facilitate seamless spectrum refarming. Collaborative approaches between operators, regulators, and technology providers will be essential to overcome challenges and unlock the full potential of refarmed spectrum.

Spectrum refarming is a transformative strategy that enables telecom operators to optimize the use of their frequency resources, improve network performance, and support the adoption of advanced technologies. While the process presents certain challenges, the benefits—ranging from cost efficiency to enhanced customer experiences—far outweigh the obstacles. By embracing spectrum refarming, operators can drive innovation, address growing connectivity demands, and ensure the sustainable development of the telecommunications sector. As the industry progresses, spectrum refarming will remain at the forefront of strategies for enabling a connected, digital future.

Picture Courtesy: Pixabay.com

India Spectrum Telecom Industry
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