A Nokia executive has named spectrum policy as the linchpin for a smooth 6G launch in India, arguing that the right type and adequate quantity of airwaves must be available when next-generation services reach the market.

The remarks, carried by ANI News, were attributed to a Nokia official identified as Dropmann. According to the headline published by the agency, the executive stated: "Right and sufficient spectrum [is] key to smooth 6G launch in India."

The comment lands as India's Department of Telecommunications continues preparatory work on a post-5G roadmap. India closed its first 5G spectrum sale in mid-2022, with Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea together spending roughly ₹1.5 lakh crore (around $18 billion) on mid-band and mmWave frequencies. Operators have since focused on building out 3.3 GHz coverage and exploring 26 GHz mmWave use cases.

Why does spectrum availability matter so much for 6G?

Each mobile generation has required new spectrum ranges to deliver on its promised throughput, latency and capacity gains. 5G used the 3.5 GHz mid-band globally and higher mmWave bands for capacity. 6G is expected to push into the upper mid-band, typically the 7-15 GHz range, and sub-THz bands above 100 GHz, alongside continued use of existing mid-band spectrum through refarming.

The International Telecommunication Union's IMT-2030 framework, which sets the 6G vision, has not yet finalised the bands that will anchor commercial deployments. Decisions are expected to advance at WRC-27, the next World Radiocommunication Conference.

For India, the regulatory architecture for assigning airwaves runs through the Department of Telecommunications and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The current auction model drew criticism from operators during the 2022 sale over reserve pricing, particularly when 26 GHz spectrum saw limited bidding despite a high floor price.

Where does Nokia stand on India's 6G path?

Nokia sits among the global infrastructure vendors investing in 6G research, with active work streams covering AI-native radio, network energy efficiency and terahertz communications. The vendor's Indian arm has collaborated with carriers on 5G use cases in manufacturing, mining and healthcare, which it has described as foundational for future 6G applications.

The Dropmann remarks reflect a wider vendor push for predictable spectrum roadmaps. Equipment suppliers typically require multi-year visibility on band allocations so they can align chip, device and radio development cycles. Without early clarity, vendors risk building products for bands that later fail to gain global traction.

What bands are likely candidates for Indian 6G?

Industry discussions centre on the 7-15 GHz upper mid-band, portions of which are already used by Indian satellite and defence services. Refarming or sharing arrangements would be needed to free contiguous blocks for mobile broadband. Sub-THz spectrum, while offering enormous capacity, faces propagation challenges that limit it to short-range or specialised deployments.

India's Bharat 6G Alliance, launched in 2023, has advocated for early research investment and global standards alignment but has stopped short of specifying preferred bands.

What comes next?

The Department of Telecommunications has previously suggested that 6G commercial services could arrive by around 2030, in line with global expectations. The decisive milestones will be the conclusion of 3GPP Release 21 specifications and the spectrum identifications agreed at WRC-27. Dropmann's intervention signals that Nokia wants India's spectrum table drawn well before those dates, so operators and vendors can plan with confidence.