New Delhi: The telecom department has exempted spectrum in the 5.9 GHz band and the high-frequency band of 77-81 GHz from licensing requirements, which experts believe will boost passenger safety in vehicles and pave the way for the development of autonomous vehicles.
The spectrum in the frequency band of 5.9 GHz has been exempted from a licence for wireless gear installed in the vehicle to enable its connectivity with the intelligent traffic management system.
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"The establishment, maintenance or working of On Board Unit installed on a vehicle, forming a part of such vehicle or held or carried by an individual in relation to a vehicle for the sole purpose of cellular vehicle-to-everything communication, which is operated as part of an intelligent transport system in the 5875-5905 MHz frequency band, shall be permitted without assignment of radio frequency, on non-interference, non-protection and non-exclusive basis," the notification said.
According to the notification dated June 11, no license will be required for possession of such on-board-unit by any person or its sale or hire by any dealer.
The frequency band of 77-81 GHz is used for the establishment, maintenance or operation of a short-range Automotive Radar System installed on a vehicle and operating in the exempted frequency band.
These radars are used for the automatic passenger safety system ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), which enables features like emergency braking, lane departure warnings, and adaptive cruise control.
"The establishment, maintenance or working of a Short-Range Automotive Radar System installed on a vehicle and operating in the 77–81 GHz frequency band, shall be permitted without assignment of radio frequency, on noninterference, non-protection and non-exclusive basis; and...no license shall be required for possession of such Short-Range Automotive Radar System by any person or its sale or hire by any dealer," the notification said.
Former CMD BSNL and datacentre company Submer India Head Anupam Shrivastava said the government's move to delicense the 5.9 GHz band for smart vehicles is a major win for road safety and innovation.
"By freeing up the 5.9 GHz frequency band for 'Vehicle-to-Everything' (C-V2X) communication, the government has cleared a major roadblock for the future of Indian transport. This decision will allow cars, traffic lights, and emergency services to talk to each other in real-time, making our roads significantly safer and reducing traffic congestion," he said.
Shrivastava said from an industry perspective, the move eliminates red tape for car manufacturers, dealers, and everyday drivers, while strictly ensuring these new devices won't cause harmful interference to existing, licensed telecom networks.
ITU-APT Foundation of India (IAFI) President Bharat Bhatia said the government has taken a landmark decision to delicence the 5.9 GHz band for Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) communications and the 77-81 GHz band for innovative wireless applications.
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"These forward-looking policy measures will accelerate the deployment of intelligent transportation systems, enhance road safety, support connected and autonomous mobility, and stimulate innovation in next-generation wireless technologies," Bhatia said.
Former Principal Advisor of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Satya N Gupta said the unlicensing of 30 MHz in lower 6 GHz band for use of On Board Unit for Cellular- Vehicle to Everything Communication with permissible radiation power of 2 watt will power intelligent transport system in a big way resulting into better safety, efficiency and passenger delight that will help in reducing emissions and road accidents.
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