V band (60 GHz):

The Key to Affordable

Broadband in India

A 2018 Update
contents
Executive Summary................................................................................................... 5

01. 60 GHz Band Characteristics ........................................................................ 7

02. 60 GHz Band Technology Today.................................................................... 8

03. Countries Around the World Are Adopting

a Licensed-Exempt Approach in the 60 GHz Band................................12.
Outdoor Usage of the 60 GHz Band..........................................................................14

04. Recommendations for Licensing of the 60 GHz

Band in India........................................................................................................16

05. Conclusion...........................................................................................................21
Executive Summary

T
his paper was originally presented at the Broadband India Forum Workshop on “Acceleration
of Broadband in India: Complementing OFC with Wireless Fiber” on 9th November, 2016. This
revision reflects global developments in the V-band eco-system and technology since 2016. While
the basic recommendations stand – full de-licensing without channelization – we provide refinements
and additional supporting evidence based on recent progress at IEEE, Wi-Fi Alliance, ETSI and CEPT
and learnings from field trials, academia and industry alliances.

High-speed broadband is the key to transforming India into a knowledge-based economy and for the
success of the Digital India1 initiative. Only approximately 30 percent of individuals in India are using
the Internet2 and a major effort is needed to boost broadband for all its citizens, both rural, suburban
and urban.

Future urban broadband access will be driven by the deployment of Wi-Fi, WiGig, 4G and and soon 5G
networks that require “fiber speed” backbone networks. These high-speed backbone networks will need
to support a dense deployment of Wi-Fi access points and cellular base stations among other wireless
networks . The cost structure of a fiber backbone for such deployments everywhere can be prohibitive.
The next generation backbone networks will be wireless operating in the millimeter wave frequencies, in
particular, the E (71-76, 81-86 GHz) and V (57-71 GHz) bands, which can provide multigigabit throughput
for short to medium distances. These bands can not only be utilized for mobile backhaul but also act as a
“fiber extension” to extend broadband connectivity from existing points of presence (“POPs”) to nearby
locations for a number of applications in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas.

In a dense environment many links are expected to operate in close proximity. Because of the spatial
isolation between links and very low likelihood of interference, regulators worldwide are adopting ‘light
licensing’ rules for the E-band based on the registration of links. In contrast, because of the high rate
of oxygen absorption and corresponding signal attenuation, which naturally mitigates interference,
regulators are moving forward with a license-exempt framework for the V-band.

In the V-band, to operate reliably at even short ranges, a highly focused, narrow-beam antenna must be
employed to increase the level of signal availability to the target receiver. In addition, oxygen absorption
makes frequency reuse possible within a very localized region of air space. High directionality and oxygen

1. Digital India, Power to Empower, Vision of Digital India, at http://www.digitalindia.gov.in/content/vision-and-vision-areas

2. Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, Country ICT Data (Until 2016), ICT Statistics, International Telecommunication Union, available at
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 5
 absorbtion enables very dense interference-free deployment of radio terminals using the same frequency
channel within the V band spectrum. A license-exempt allocation thus enables the most efficient use of
this band.

Furthermore, emerging technologies in the 60 GHz band (57-71 GHz) can reach cost points that are an
order of magnitude less than deployed fiber with fiber-like reliability and multi-gigabit speeds.3 Some
of the new 60 GHz band technologies can now offer one or two orders of magnitude cost reduction
over fiber and existing milli-metric band backbone networks. In this paper, we discuss the advantages
of the 60 GHz band, provide updates on evolving standards, eco-system development, and studies on
coexistence and why we continue to believe that with suitable policy support, it can provide for affordable
broadband in India. The 60 GHz opportunity will allow India to leapfrog in broadband networks just as
the country leapfrogged wireline phone with mobile voice networks.

A confluence of several factors makes some of the technologies in the 60 GHz band very cost attractive.
First, the 60 GHz band which now includes 14 GHz of spectrum offers massive capacity compared to the
existing milli-metric band allocations. Second, the high oxygen attenuation and narrow beams in the 60
GHz band reduce interference between links making it particularly suited for uncoordinated operation.
Delicensing will boost innovations at many levels driving rapid technology advancement. Third, silicon
technology innovations combined with global momentum behind the WiGig eco-system based on IEEE
802.11ad and its successor 802.11ay standard is making available very low cost semiconductors and
system solutions. Fourth, the large bandwidth available in 60 GHz band allows for wide channelization
(e.g. 2.16 GHz in 802.11ad and 802.11ay) and hence supports high-speed links with 10 Gbps and higher
data rates.

It is noteworthy that many national administrations have delicensed the lower 60 GHz band (57-64 GHz)
and also have not imposed specific channelization plans. Additionally, the US has opened the upper
V-band (64 – 71GHz),4 and countries around the world are considering doing the same.5 This has begun
to trigger technology innovation and eco-system growth. This process repeats the Wi-Fi story where the
use of unlicensed 2.4 and 5 GHz bands enabled a massive eco-system around Wi-Fi and drove down
broadband equipment and operation costs dramatically and facilitated affordable broadband access for
the public . There would have been no Wi-Fi revolution if the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands had been licensed.

For these reasons, we believe that to unleash the full potential of the 60 GHz band India should delicense
the 60 GHz band as well as avoid any mandates on specific channelization. These two initiatives will allow
a spate of technology developers and connectivity providers to deliver high-speed mult-gigabit services
at very low cost, which in turn will enable the proliferation of affordable broadband and introduction of
a host of innovative products across India.

3. Sanjai Kohli, interview by Professor Abhay Karandikar, October 2015

4. See Use of Spectrum Bands Above 24 GHz for Mobile Radio Services, et. al, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 16-
89, 31 FCC Rcd. 8014 (2016) at https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-16-89A1.

5. See Radio Spectrum Policy Group, Strategic Spectrum Roadmap Towards 5G for Europe, DRAFT RSPG Second Opinion on 5G for Europe,
Brussels, 21 November 2017, RSPG17-034 FINAL, at https://circabc.europa.eu/sd/a/fe1a3338-b751-43e3-9ed8-a5632f051d1f/RSPG18-
005final-2nd_opinion_on_5G.pd; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Consultation on Releasing Millimetre Wave
Spectrum to Support 5G, (Jun. 2017) at https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf11298.html#s1; Ofcom UK, Fixed Wireless Spectrum
Strategy, Consultation on proposed next steps to enable future uses of fixed wireless links, at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_
file/0027/108594/Fixed-Wireless-Spectrum-Strategy.pdf.

6 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
 60 GHz Band
01 Characteristics

W
ith 7 GHz and potentially 14 GHz of capacity, the 60 GHz band offers unmatched capacity
compared with lower frequency spectrum. Moreover, the 60 GHz band has unique
characteristics that set it apart from other high frequency bands. For example, the 60 GHz
band propagation characteristics are significantly different from other fixed service bands, including the
E-band (70/80 GHz). In the 60 GHz band, multiple oxygen absorption lines merge together to form a
single, broad absorption band, as shown in the following figure. Atmospheric absorption peaks around
16 dB per kilometer at band center, and exceeds 10 dB per kilometer across 86% of the band. This renders
the 60 GHz band unsuitable for traditional multi-kilometer fixed links. It also significantly mitigates
interference between 60 GHz band systems.

In the E-band, atmospheric absorption is only 0.6 dB per kilometer. While this supports multi-kilometer
fixed links, it necessitates some form of light-licensing to prevent interference. Many countries have
appropriately adopted “light licensing” for E-band fixed links. Light licensing is a user self-coordination
process typically based on a national database of previously coordinated links. But due to the high
atmospheric attenuation in the 60 GHz band, there is significant isolation between links, which mitigates
interference and makes link registration unnecessary.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 7
 60 GHz Band
02 Technology Today

O
ne of the predominant technologies for the 60 GHz band is IEEE 802.11ad also known as WiGig.
Formed in January 2009, the IEEE 802.11ad task group developed an amendment to modify
both the PHY and medium access control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.11 protocol to achieve
very high throughput in the 60 GHz band. The 802.11ad standard was released in December 2012 and
established four 2.16 GHz wide channels in the 60 GHz band with center frequencies of 58.32 GHz,
60.48 GHz, 62.64 GHz, and 64.80 GHz. The 802.11ad market is expected to grow to $10.53 billion in
2019.6 ABI Research reports that 69 Million WiGig chipsets will ship in 2018 and that will grow to 418
Million in 2022.7

Global momentum behind WiGig is key to driving opportunities in the 60 GHz band. Currently, the WiGig
based 60 GHz band hosts a broad range of services including outdoor wireless links that extend the reach
of fiber networks and personal networking technologies that deliver multi-gigabit speeds between devices
such as wireless docking augmented reality/virtual reality, multimedia streaming, gaming, enterprise
and other networking applications.8  The band also is fostering innovations in technologies such as short-
range, interactive motion sensing that hold the promise of making devices taking advantage of broadband
connectivity more usable.

Standardization often leads to widespread adoption, and this has been true for 802.11ad. The huge
global demand for spectrum capacity is driving investment in 60 GHz band unlicensed technologies for
fixed wireless access, wireless backhaul and short-range uses, particularly as the technology is evolving
to allow for non-line-of-sight applications.9 Since the release of the 802.11ad standard, there has been
participation by not only large, established communications semiconductor manufacturers such as
Broadcom, Intel, and Qualcomm, but also wireless semiconductor startups.10 11

6. Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Market (IEEE 802.11ad, 60 GHz, 7Gbps Wi-Fi, Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Access Points, Routers, Residential Gateways, Backhaul
Equipment) - Worldwide Forecasts, Business Models, Technology Roadmap and Analysis (2014 - 2019) available at http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/
PressReleases/wigig.asp.

7. ABI Research, 802.11ad Chipset Market to Reach Critical Juncture in 2017 with WiGig Certification Now Underway, ABI Research Forecasts WiGig Will Play Key
Role in the Transition to Cable Free Devices, (9 Nov. 2016) at https://www.abiresearch.com/press/80211ad-chipset-market-reach-critical-juncture-201/.

8. See Revision of Part 15 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding Operation in the 57-64 GHz Band, Federal Communications Commission Report and Order, ET
Docket 07-113, 28 FCC Rcd. 12517, 12519 ¶ 5 (2013).

9. See Mario Giovanni Luigi Frecassetti, ETSI White Paper No. 9, E-Band and V-Band Survey on status of worldwide regulation at 4 (June 2015) available at
https://www.etsi.org/images/files/ETSIWhitePapers/etsi_wp9_e_band_and_v_band_survey_20150629.pdf; see also Dan Jones, Light Reading, 60 GHz: A
Frequency to Watch (July 10, 2014) available at http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/backhaul/60ghz-a-frequency-to-watch/d/d-id/709910 (noting
investments made in 60 GHz technology driven by WiGig and wireless backhaul).

10. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WiGig™ brings multi-gigabit performance to Wi-Fi® devices, https://www.wi-fi.org/news-events/newsroom/wi-fi-certified-wigig-brings-
multi-gigabit-performance-to-wi-fi-devices.

11. HiSilicon Receives WiGigTM Certification from Wi-Fi Alliance for the Industry’s Most Integrated 60 GHz Solution, http://www.hisilicon.com/en/Media-
Center/News/CES2018_hisilicon_60gwifi.

8 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
Building on the 802.11ad standard are highly innovative approaches that are being proposed utilize the
significant 60 GHz bandwidth and WiGig technology elements to form novel network topologies12 13 in
addition to established point-to-point and point-to-multipoint topologies.14 15 Draft 1.2 of 802.11ay, the
successor standard to 802.11ad was released May 2018 and defines support for a broad set of use-cases
ranging from mmWave Mesh Network Usage Model in support of Fixed Wireless Access deployment
scenarios, as well as wireless virtual/augmented reality, networking, and mobile. The technologies
defined in 802.11ay enable operation in both line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight environments. Non-line-
of-sight operation exploits alternate paths generated by deterministic reflectors which exist at 60 GHz.

Subsequent improvements to 802.11ay specification include techniques for managing interference and
coexistence in high density scenarios including those with multi-hop multi-point network topologies.
Key innovations include scheduled media access control, more efficient beamforming protocols catering
to different usages, peak data rates in excess of 100 Gbps, support for cloud based link planning, and
advanced coding schemes that enable predictable performance in a complex mesh deployment with
a single frequency network. Participation and support for 802.11ay has expanded to include not only
semiconductor manufacturers but also communications system vendors, consumer internet and services
companies and network service providers.

Recent innovations and announcements in the 60Ghz band include the following:

In April 2016 Facebook announced Terragraph, its 60 GHz wireless system for dense urban
environments16 with the motivation to support its mission of connecting the unconnected and improving
the experience of the underserved. Terragraph uses a standard WiGig chipset and implements a number
of software features to enhance network performance and achieve gigabit speeds at fraction of the cost
of laying traditional fiber optic.17 Facebook has deployed a network in the City of San Jose, California,
USA covering 4 sq km with over 400 sectors delivering Wi-Fi access to City employees. Facebook is
making the Terragaph technology available through its contributions to IEEE, ETSI and the Telecom
Infrastructure Project mmWave Working Group. Faceback is also actively participating in the Wi-Fi
Alliance and CEPT working groups.

Huawei has recently developed and successfully tested in several live trials, a new Point-to-Multipoint
(PtMP) product in the V-Band as a best-fit solution for dense urban networks for Fixed Wireless Access
and Small Cell Backhaul applications. The system, which leverages IEEE 802.11ad technology, utilizes
innovative phased array antennas in order to implement beam-steerable PtMP and MultiPoint-to-

12. Id; “EdgeHaul™ Millimeter Wave Small Cell Backhaul System,” available at http://www.interdigital.com/presentations/edgehaul-millimeter-wave-small-cell-
backhaul-system.

13. Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Market (IEEE 802.11ad, 60 GHz, 7Gbps Wi-Fi, Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Access Points, Routers, Residential Gateways, Backhaul
Equipment) - Worldwide Forecasts, Business Models, Technology Roadmap and Analysis (2014 - 2019) available at http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/
PressReleases/wigig.asp.

14. Id; “EdgeHaul™ Millimeter Wave Small Cell Backhaul System,” available at http://www.interdigital.com/presentations/edgehaul-millimeter-wave-small-cell-
backhaul-system.

15. Wireless Gigabit (WiGig) Market (IEEE 802.11ad, 60 GHz, 7Gbps Wi-Fi, Wireless Gigabit Alliance, Access Points, Routers, Residential Gateways, Backhaul
Equipment) - Worldwide Forecasts, Business Models, Technology Roadmap and Analysis (2014 - 2019) available at http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/
PressReleases/wigig.asp.

16. ““Introducing Facebook’s new terrestrial connectivity systems – Terragraph and Project ARIES” available at https://code.facebook.com/
posts/1072680049445290/introducing-facebook-s-new-terrestrial-connectivity-systems-terragraph-and-project-aries/.

17. Kohli, Sanjai. Cloud Controller for next Generation Data Network. FACEBOOK, INC., assignee. Patent 9,277,480. 1 Mar. 2016; and Kohli, Sanjai. Distribution
Node and Client Node for next Generation Network. FACEBOOK, INC., assignee. Patent 9,215,644. 15 Dec. 2015.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 9
 Multipoint (MPtMP) topologies to backhaul Access Points in meshed networks or to extend broadband
connectivity from fiber points of presence to residential locations in urban and suburban areas. The
wide band, favorable propagation and directive, steerable antenna beams provide very high throughput,
very good performance and very low probability of interference, making this system and the V-band an
attractive solution for delivering broadband with a favorable total cost of ownership.

Intel has announced numerous products over the years that are based on the WiGig technology operating
in the 60 GHz band. Back in 2015, Intel announced a wireless docking solution that removed the cables
between a portable device such as a PC and a docking station.18 In early 2018, Intel announced its
cooperation with HTC to bring wireless virtual reality to the HTC Vive.19 Also in 2018, Intel announced
its support for the Terragraph project with an Intel based reference solution based on the WiGig
technology.20 This solution aims at bringing low cost broadband access and help address the need
to deliver gigabit broadband wirelessly complementing metro fiber. Intel also announced that it has
been closely collaborating with industry leaders to contribute the Terragraph specification to the IEEE
802.11ay standard development.

In October 2016 Nokia demonstrated a Fixed Wireless Access solution that uses IEEE 802.11ad technology
in V-band. Nokia’s Wireless PON (WPON) solution is an industry first that allows operators to bring
gigabit services to customers using WiGig wireless technology, eliminating the need to bring fiber all
the way to a home or building. WPON integrates WiGig to the home with a PON network, providing
operators with a new FTTx option for delivering ultra-broadband access. Easily mounted to telephone
poles, street lights or a building facade, the solution uses beamforming to bring connections of up to 1
Gbps to Nokia WPON home units located in excess of 100 meters away on the outside of a building or
home. With the ability to connect multiple access points in a row, operators can now bring fiber to a
street corner or neighborhood instead of a building and avoid the costs of adding subscribers, reduce up-
front investment cost and deploy faster.

Following WPON initial launch, Nokia announced a technology partnership with Facebook in February
2018. Combining WPON with Terragraph’s mesh-routing and multi-hop capabilities allows broadband
providers to wirelessly deliver gigabit services over wider areas with high reliability and meet growing
demands for ultra-broadband access. Nokia combines its worldwide delivery capabilities and WPON with
Facebook’s Terragraph technology to launch global gigabit broadband trials in 2018 with select customers.

Qualcomm Atheros (QCA) has been an active contributor to 802.11ad and 802.11ay over the last decade
and a pioneer and worldwide leader in making 802.11ad and 802.11ay mainstream and widely available
with a range of products spanning mobile platforms such as the Snapdragon 845 Mobile platform which
enables forward looking features sucah as immersive XR and the QCA6438 and QCA6428 family of pre-
802.11ay chipsets which enables high-speed broadband connections to consumers in dense urban areas
vis fixed wireless access (FWA).21

18. https://www.pcworld.com/article/2873512/intels-wireless-dock-takes-laptops-closer-to-a-wirefree-life.html

19. https://www.tomsguide.com/us/htc-vive-wigig-wireless-upgrade,news-26387.html

20. https://wifinowevents.com/news-and-blog/facebook-announces-multiple-partnerships-terragraph/

21. See https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2018/05/21/qualcomm-and-facebook-bring-high-speed-internet-connectivity-over-60ghz; https://www.

fiercewireless.com/wireless/qualcomm-quietly-advances-vr-technology-prep-for-5g; https://www.qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon-845-mobile-
platform; https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2017/09/21/new-asus-zenfone-4-pro-first-gigabit-lte-and-multi-gigabit-80211ad-wi-fi; https://i.
mt.lv/routerboard/files/wAP60-180420095743.pdf; http://www.iotevolutionworld.com/iiot/articles/432456-qualcomm-extends-benefits-80211ad-wi-fi-
enterprises.htm; https://www.qualcomm.com/solutions/networking/features/80211ad

10 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
The ASUS zenFone 4 Pro with Gigabit connectivity is the world’s first commercially available smartphone
to feature 802.11ad Wi-Fi connectivity from QCA. Users of this smartphone can enjoy ultra-fact
connectivity and excellent user experiences like downloading 4K movies and TV shows in seconds or
syncing and sharing entire phot albums with incredible speed. They can also enjoy delay-free VR and
gaming. Enterprise users can download presentations quickly, access the cloud as if it’s on their phone,
and take advantage of lag-free wireless docking.

At MWC 2018 QCA demonstrated multiple 802.11ad based technologies showcasing positioning, mm
wave radar, enterprise SON and VR on a Snapdragon 835 based smartphone exploiting 802.11ad’s
extremely low latencies. The Wireless Wire is another innovative solution enabled by QCA chipsets which
replaces a Gigabit Ethernet cable with two small devices that connect to each other over a GHz wireless
link offering full duplex 1 Gbps speeds over a 200 meter range or more.

In September 2017 the Telecom Infrastructure Project (TIP), the Facebook-backed open-source hardware
and software group of over 500 telecom stakeholders including Broadcom, Intel, Deutsche Telekom,
Vodafone, Telefonica, SK Telecom and Nokia launched the Millimeter Wave Networks Project Group, co-
chaired by Facebook and Deutsche Telekom, with a focus on bringing more bandwidth to dense, highly
populated areas22. At MWC 2018, Deutsche Telekom stated they were actively evaluating use cases across
Europe for this technology and areplanning to deploy a Terragraph field trial in the Budapest area (via its
subsidiary Magyar Telekom).23

V-Band also enables compelling short-range applications. Google has developed Project Soli, which
uses a sensor operating between 57 and 64 GHz to capture motion in a three-dimensional space using a
radar beam.24 Data collected by the Project Soli sensor can be used to enable touchless control of device
functions or features. For instance, sensor data allows devices to be more “aware” of their surroundings
to allow them to enter sleep mode due to inactivity in their environment, or to allow users to trigger
simple actions without having to touch the device. This could be particularly meaningful for users with
mobility, speech, or tactile impairments.

Smaller companies and startups are also pursuing development of 60 GHz solutions. Startup companies
include Peraso25 and Blu Wireless.26 An earlier pioneer of CMOS based 60 GHz chipsets, SiBEAM27
(A Lattice Semiconductor Company) continues development of both indoor and outdoor solutions.

22. See https://telecominfraproject.com/mmwave/

23. See https://telecominfraproject.com/tip-at-mwc-2018-new-trial-deployments-project-groups-and-a-growing-ecosystem/

24. See Soli at https://atap.google.com/soli/.

25. ““Peraso WiGig USB Adapter Among First Products to Achieve Wi-Fi Alliance Certification” available at http://www.perasotech.com/2016/10/
peraso-wigig-usb-adapter-among-first-products-achieve-wi-fi-alliance-certification/

26. Blue Wireless Technology, at http://www.bluwirelesstechnology.com/.

27. “MM-Wave Radio Spectrum Becomes Tangible 5G Path” available at http://electronicdesign.com/communications/mm-wave-radio-spectrum-

becomes-tangible-5g-path

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 11
 Countries Around the
03 World Are Adopting a
Licensed-Exempt Approach
in the 60 GHz Band

A
round the world, countries across regions have adopted a licensed-exempt framework, including
Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Canada,
Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. Table 1 below provides a timeline of the countries that have
adopted license-exempt 60 GHz band regulations.

Table 1: Timeline of Countries That Have Adopted License-Exempt 60 GHz Band Regulations

Country Date of Adoption of License-Exempt 60 GHz Band Framework

Austria Feb-09
Australia July-14
Belgium May-14
Brazil July-08
Canada Dec-10
China Jun-15
Japan May-14
Korea April-13
Malaysia Feb-15
Mexico Nov-17
New Zealand Oct-14
Phillipines Jan-16
Poland Dec-14
Singapore April-13
Slovakia Feb-15
Spain Dec-11
South Africa Mar-15
Switzerland Jan-11
UK Oct-10
US Dec-2010, Jul-2016 (64-71 GHz)
(countries that allow outdoor operation for multi-gigibit wireless systems in bold)

12 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
At the international level, Article 5 of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio
Regulations28 includes co-primary fixed service (FS) and mobile service (MS) allocations in the 60 GHz
band for all three ITU Regions.

Recommendation ITU-R F.1763, Radio interface standards for broadband wireless access systems in the
fixed service operating below 66 GHz29, identifies specific radio interface standards which may be utilized
for broadband wireless access (BWA) systems in the fixed service operating below 66 GHz. In developing
this recommendation, the ITU Radiocommunication Assembly (RA) considered that:

• It is useful to identify standards for broadband wireless access (BWA) systems in the fixed service for
international use

• The standards for BWA systems for fixed services are developed by standardization development
bodies with broad international participation

• Standards for systems operating in the mobile service can be utilized to provide fixed BWA

• Standards for BWA support a wide range of fixed and nomadic broadband applications, such as
voice and videoconferencing, in urban, suburban, and rural areas

F.1761-1 recommends that Recommendations ITU-R M.1450, M.1457, M.1801, M.2003, and M.2012,
which can also be utilized to provide fixed BWA operations below 66 GHz, should be used.

Recommendation ITU-R M.2003, Multiple Gigabit Wireless Systems in frequencies around 60 GHz30,
provides general characteristics and radio interface standards for Multiple Gigabit Wireless Systems
(MGWS) in frequencies around 60-GHz. In developing this recommendation, the RA considered that:

• MGWS are widely used for fixed, semi-fixed (transportable) and portable computer equipment for
a variety of broadband applications

• MGWS are expected to encompass applications for wireless digital video, audio, and control
applications, as well as multiple gigabit wireless local area networks (WLAN)

• MGWS standards have been developed for operation in the 60 GHz frequency range

• MGWS should be implemented with careful consideration to compatibility with other radio
applications

• Many administrations permit MGWS, including radio local area networks (RLANs) devices to
operate in the 60 GHz frequency range on a license-exempt basis

• Harmonized frequencies in the 60 GHz frequency range for the mobile service would facilitate the
introduction of MGWS including RLANs

28. International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector; Radio Regulations, Edition of 2012.

29. Recommendation ITU-R F.1763-1 (02/2014) Radio interface standards for broadband wireless access systems in the fixed service operating below 66 GHz.

30. Recommendation ITU-R M.2003-1 (01/2015) Multiple Gigabit Wireless Systems in frequencies around 60 GHz.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 13
 The RA further recognized that both consumers and manufacturers will benefit from global harmonization
of the 60 GHz spectrum for MGWS and that although MGWS systems have been predominantly used for
indoor applications there are administrations which allow outdoor use of these systems.

Noting that several standards provide options for MGWS implementation, the RA recommends that the
MGWS standards and their system characteristics contained in Annex 1 of M.2003-1 should be used. Annex
1 states that “a 2160 MHz channel bandwidth is required. It is important that MGWS standards employ the
same channelization in order to promote better coexistence. Four center frequencies are recommended to
be at 58.32, 60.48, 62.64, and 64.80 GHz.” These are the same channel bandwidths and center frequencies
standardized in the internationally developed IEEE Standards 802.11ad-2012 and 802.15.3c-2009.

3.1 Outdoor Usage of the 60 GHz Band

Even though the V-band is available around the world on a license-exempt basis for indoor use and to a
lesser, but still significant extent for outdoor use, outdoor usage has often been limited to point-to-point
fixed services, in particular in Europe. This restriction was based on legacy technologies developed prior to
the advent of phased-array antenna systems and beam-steering and deployments have been very limited.31
With the recent developments in WiGig and interest in low-cost fixed point-to-multi point services, or
Fixed Wireless Access, there has been significant effort towards revising the CEPT framework for the 60
GHz band to allow Fixed Wireless Access.

1. ETSI mmWave Transmission Industry Specification Group

a. Ray-Tracing Analysis multi-company submission to SE1932

b. ETSI White Paper No. 25 – Microwave and Millemeter-wave for 5G Transport33

c. Update on ISG View on V Band and E-band Regulations34

2. CEPT SE-19 (Spectrum Engineering for Fixed Services) Work Item being drafted to present results
of interference analysis studies, conducted to assess the compatibility of Multiple Gigabit Wireless
Systems (MGWS) with the Fixed Service (FS) in the 60 GHz band (V-band) to be used as input
from SE19 to assist SRD/MG in assessing the feasibility of establishing a common set of technical
conditions under which fixed service applications and other outdoor envisaged uses/applications,
including Fixed Wireless Access, may coexist within the 57 – 66 GHz range.35

31. See, e.g., Draft Revision of ECC Report 173- Fixed Service in Europe: Current use and future trends post 2016 (last updated 27 Apr. 2018), § A.1.29 at
75 https://www.ecodocdb.dk/download/6fd0de6b-f796/ECCRep173.PDF (reporting that the 57-64 GHz band is open in 27 countries but that only
400 links have been deployed in just 6 countries); see also id. § A.1.30 at 76 (reporting that the 64-66 GHz band is also open in 27 countries but that
no links are reported to be deployed).

32. See V-band 3D Ray-Tracing Interference and Network Analyzes, Doc.SE19(17)36, at https://cept.org/Documents/se-19/37789/se19-17-36_60-ghz-
3d-ray-trac-analyzes.

33. See ETSI White Paper No. 25 – Microwave and Millemeter-wave for 5G Transport -- http://www.etsi.org/images/files/ETSIWhitePapers/etsi_wp25_
mwt_and_5g_FINAL.pdf

34. See ETSI mwT ISG presentation on V band and E-band Regulations -- https://portal.etsi.org/Portals/0/TBpages/mWT/Docs/mWT-0014v200.pptx

35. See SE 19- Fixed Service, Group info at https://www.cept.org/ecc/groups/ecc/wg-se/se-19/client/introduction/; see ECC Work Programme
Database, SE19_39 (In progress) at https://eccwp.cept.org/default.aspx?groupid=45.

14 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
 3. UK Ofcom Consultation on Fixed Wireless Strategy 36

a. Proposes regulatory changes to enable point to multipoint/mesh technologies on a licence

exempt basis in 57-66 GHz.

4. EU Radio Spectrum Policy Group

a. In STRATEGIC SPECTRUM ROADMAP TOWARDS 5G FOR EUROPE RSPG Second

Opinion on 5G networks recommends General Authorisation in 66-71 GHz.37

36. Ofcom UK, Fixed Wireless Spectrum Strategy, Consultation on proposed next steps to enable future uses of fixed wireless links, at https://www.
ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/108594/Fixed-Wireless-Spectrum-Strategy.pdf.

37. See Radio Spectrum Policy Group, Strategic Spectrum Roadmap Towards 5G for Europe, DRAFT RSPG Second Opinion on 5G for Europe, Brussels,
21 November 2017, RSPG17-034 FINAL, at https://circabc.europa.eu/sd/a/fe1a3338-b751-43e3-9ed8-a5632f051d1f/RSPG18-005final-2nd_
opinion_on_5G.pdf.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 15
 Recommendations for
04 Licensing of the 60 GHz
Band in India

T
ransforming India into a “digitally empowered society and knowledge economy” as envisioned
by the Digital India Programme, will require connecting millions of citizens to high-speed
broadband.38 To date, mobile has been a key on ramp to Internet connectivity in India. Of the
more than 400 million Internet users in India, more than 306 million access the Internet through
their phones.39

However, in India, as in the rest of world, the proliferation of new mobile devices and bandwidth-
hungry applications is putting more pressure than ever before on mobile networks and the spectrum
they rely on. Globally, mobile data traffic grew 74 percent in 2015.40 India is no exception. In India last
year, mobile data traffic grew by 50 percent and consumption of 3G data alone rose by 85 percent.41
With operators poised to launch 4G LTE networks across the country, analysts expect that faster
speeds could lead to an up to fourfold increase in traffic as it has in other parts of the world.42 Still
others have projected that smartphone penetration could reach 58 percent by 2020, further propelling
large increases in data traffic.43

Keeping up with this surging demand for data and meeting the government’s goals for a Digital India
through expanded digital infrastructure will require adding capacity to existing networks and upgrading
network architectures, and promoting new forms of local networking, such as device-to-device. To do
this in an affordable way, increasing access to delicensed spectrum for both access and backhaul must
become a key part of India’s digital strategy. Last year, around the world, more than half of mobile
data traffic was offloaded onto fixed networks through Wi-Fi or femtocells.44 But in India, analysts have

38. Digital India, Power to Empower, Vision of Digital India, at http://www.digitalindia.gov.in/content/vision-and-vision-areas.

39. “India to surpass U.S. with 402 million Internet by 2016: IAMAI,” The Indian Express Tech, at http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-
news-technology/india-to-have-402-mn-internet-users-by-dec-2015-will-surpass-us-iamai-report/Mobile internet users in India to reach 371 million
by June: Report, Times of India (Feb. 4, 2016) at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/Mobile-internet-users-in-India-to-reach-371-
million-by-June-Report/articleshow/50846649.cms (citing reports by the Internet and Mobile Association of India).

40. Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Update, 2015-2020 White Paper (Feb. 3, 2016) available at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/
us/solutions/collateral/service-provider/visual-networking-index-vni/mobile-white-paper-c11-520862.html (“Cisco Report”).

41. Rohit KVN, “India’s ‘mobile data traffic grew by 50 percent in 2015’ says Nokia,” International Business Times, India Edition (March 8, 2016) available
at http://www.ibtimes.co.in/indias-mobile-data-traffic-grew-by-50-percent-2015-says-nokia-669928.

42. Nokia study shows multimedia and expanding device ecosystem will fuel mobile data traffic growth as India moves toward 4G LTE, Press Release,
Nokia Networks, (March 8, 2016) available at http://company.nokia.com/en/news/press-releases/2016/03/08/nokia-study-shows-multimedia-and-
expanding-device-ecosystem-will-fuel-mobile-data-traffic-growth-as-india-moves-towards-4g-lte (“Nokia Networks Report”).

43. Deloitte, Indian Tower Industry: The Future is Data, Figure 1 (June 2015) available at http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/in/
Documents/technology-media-telecommunications/in-tmt-indian-tower-industry-noexp.pdf.

44. Cisco Report.

16 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
observed that consumers are not typically offloading data from their mobile networks.45 Moreover, the
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has noted that the existing delicensed bands available
for Wi-Fi spectrum channels are already congested.46 TRAI furthur goes on to comment on the number
of hotspots today in India as compared to the rest of the world. While there are 45 Million hotspots
worldwide, as of 2016 India has only 31,518 hotspots. Today’s Global average is 1 hotpsot for every 150
persons. For India to reach today’s Global Average of 1 hotspot for 150 persons, India would need another
8 million hotspots .

For these reasons, we recommend that India’s digital strategy should include opening up unrestricted,
delicensed access to the 60 GHz band (also called the V-Band). TRAI has noted that “there is an urgent
need to identify new candidate bands which can be delicensed to cater to the huge demand in the near
future. The V-band is a strong candidate band for the same.”47

As noted above, the 60 GHz band offers unmatched capacity with 14 GHz of available spectrum, particularly
when compared with lower frequency bands. In addition, the natural propagation characteristics of the band
mitigate interference, making it particularly suited to delicensed use. For these reasons, many countries
around the world, including Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United States, have
already opened up delicensed access to the 60 GHz band.48 Innovative technologies have flourished in the
countries that have opted for a delicensed framework to make suitable use of the band for acceleration of
broadband penetration

Keeping the above in the backdrop, Broadband India Forum makes the following
recommendations:

a. Recommendation (1): The 60 GHz band should be opened up under a delicensed

framework for optimal utilisation

Like other countries have, India should open the 60 GHz band up under a delicensed framework.
However, TRAI in its recommendations of November 2015 has proposed that the 60 GHz band may
be delicensed for access purposes and lightly licensed for backhaul usage . We believe this may not
be the best approach for three reasons.

First, link registration (light or otherwise) for backhaul use is not required for 60 GHz operation
due to the characteristics of the band. Link registration is used in other licensed spectrum to avoid
interference between geographically proximate links, but due to the high oxygen attenuation
within the 60 GHz band, the links here are of very short distance and highly focused, and hence
interference is severely reduced. The high probability of LOS interruption and constrained
transmit power levels because of clearance distance for public safety makes the band unattractive
for small-cell backhaul.

45. “85% in growth in 3G data consumption in India last year: Report,” Business Standard, March 8, 2016 at http://www.business-standard.com/
article/companies/85-growth-in-3g-data-consumption-in-india-last-year-report-116030801015_1.html.

46. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Recommendations on Allocation and Pricing of Microwave Access (MWA) and Microwave Backbone (MWB)
RF Carriers, (Response to reference received from Department of Telecommunications on recommendations of 16th October 2015) at 5-6 (Nov.
17, 2015) available at http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/Recommendation/Documents/Response%20to%20back%20reference%20on%20
Microwave_17.11.2015.pdf. (“TRAI Recommendations”).

47. Id.

48. See ETSI White Paper No. 9: E-Band and V-Band Survey at 4, First Edition—June 2015 available at http://www.etsi.org/images/files/
ETSIWhitePapers/etsi_wp9_e_band_and_v_band_survey_20150629.pdf.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 17
 Second, it is the unrestricted, delicensed framework promoted by the IEEE standards that has
allowed innovation in the 60 GHz band to flourish and has allowed the technology to be affordable.
Without the steep upfront costs of obtaining licenses, innovators can experiment with technologies
that work well in a delicensed environment. As discussed in Section 1, new network topologies are
being developed that would allow for non-line-of-sight links. Such a system might use an infinite
combination of paths to expand the reach of high-speed wireless broadband and can be used both
for both access and backhaul.

Third, there are, and will continue to be for some time, far more consumer access devices with Wi-
Fi capabilities at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, such as smartphones, than consumer access devices with 60
GHz capabilities. Wi-Fi access points are available and affordable as well. What is missing in many
cases is low-cost, simple-to-provision, high-speed backhaul from the nearest fiber path. V-Band
offers great promise to reduce this bottleneck. A delicensed approach would speed its deployment
for this use case.

It is the unrestricted, delicensed framework promoted by the IEEE standards that has allowed
innovation in the 60 GHz band to flourish and has allowed the technology to be affordable. Without
the steep upfront costs of obtaining licenses, innovators can experiment with technologies that
work well in a delicensed environment. As discussed in Section 1, new network topologies are
being developed that would allow for non-line-of-sight links. Such a system might use an infinite
combination of paths to expand the reach of high-speed wireless broadband and can be used both
for both access and backhaul. Even in such deployments, interference concerns are mitigated by the
characteristics of the 60 GHz band.

Hence, we suggest that the Lower V band (57-66Ghz) may be permitted for short range access
devices (based on 802.11ad standard) and short range devices operating pursuant to the ETSI EN
305 550 standard and for mesh networks (based on 802.11ay standard) on a license exempt basis
while the Upper V band (66-71Ghz) be opened up for Point-to-Point links on a link-by-link basis
through a self coordinated (registration) manner.

Ideally, the entire V-Band should be tech neutral, including use of .11d and .11ay, and that license-
exempt should apply everywhere in V.-Band. For generic fixed wireless , the applicable ETSI rules
for the backhaul use case are Section H of ETSI EN 302 217-2, and suitable both for .11ad and
.11ay. The power limits in this specification are substantially higher than in the Short Range Device
(SRD) standard and necessary for the wireless backhaul use case. Interference between the two
classes of devices -- SRD and backhaul -- could be controlled by restricting the higher power units
to outdoor use, directive antennas, and minimum antenna heights.

Recommendation (2): India’s policy for 60 GHz band spectrum should allow for
flexible use and should not establish coordination or channelization requirements.

We further recommend that India’s 60 GHz band spectrum policy should allow for flexible use and
should not establish specific coordination or channelization requirements. As discussed in Section
1 above, the availability of a delicensed 60 GHz band in major markets already, in addition to
broad adoption of the WiGig standard, will ultimately result in the emergence of new applications.
Furthermore, it is the large production base of WiGig chipsets that could be leveraged to facilitate

18 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
 low cost 60 GHz infrastructure. However, to utilize WiGig chipsets, equipment in a point-to-point or
point-to-multi-point configuration would have to operate with the same frequency channelization.
This means that in order for India to reap the benefits of low cost backbone infrastructure and
avoid the costs of nonstandard equipment, it would be in its interest to delicense the 60 GHz band
without specifying any pre-fixed channelisation plan (similar to delicensing for 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
bands in India).

Instead, the plan originally recommended by TRAI with 50 MHz channelization could result in
fragmentation and be incompatible with the 802.11ad channel plan,49 even with aggregation.
Misalignment with international standards may hinder development of a vendor ecosystem,
increase equipment costs for India and result in underutilization of the band.

b. Delicensing the 60 GHz Band could also lead to broader benefits for India.

A delicensed framework would bring India broader economic and social benefits that would further
the government’s Digital India goals. Globally, the availability of delicensed spectrum has driven
substantial economic benefit.50 This economic benefit is real and substantial. The World Bank
estimates a 1.38 percentage point increase in Gross Domestic Product for every 10 percentage point
increase of broadband penetration.51 In the United States alone, researchers have estimated that
delicensed spectrum bands generated a total economic surplus of $222B in 2013, and contributed
$6.7B to GDP.52 By 2017, the same researchers have conservatively estimated that in the United
States, delicensed bands will drive at least $547.2B in economic surplus annually, and contribute at
least $49.7B to GDP.53

Moreover, the allocation of additional delicensed spectrum delivers a number of

broad social benefits, including:

• Enhancing the value of wireline infrastructure and improving the performance of cellular
services;54

• Delivering substantially higher speeds than existing services through new developments like
WiGig based on 802.11ay standard and alleviating congestion on existing Wi-Fi bands;55

49. See Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Recommendations on Allocation and Pricing of Microwave access (MWA) and Microwave Backbone
(MWB) RF carrier, Recommendation 4.37(b) (29 August 2014), available at http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/Recommendation/
Documents/MW%20Reco%20Final29082014.pdf

50. Milgrom, Paul; Levin, Jonathan; Eilat, Assaf. “The Case For Unlicensed Spectrum.” Stanford University, October 2011. Available at http://web.
stanford.edu/~jdlevin/Papers/UnlicensedSpectrum.pdf.

51. Kim, Yongsoo; Kelly, Tim; Raja; Siddhartha. “Building broadband: Strategies and policies for the developing world.” Global Information
and Communication Technologies Department, World Bank, January 2010. Available at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/
EXTINFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONANDTECHNOLOGIES/Resources/282822-1208273252769/Building_broadband.pdf

52. Katz, Raul, TELECOM ADVISORY SERVICES, LLC. “ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF UNLICENSED SPECTRUM IN THE UNITED STATES”
February 2014. available at http://www.wififorward.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Value-of-Unlicensed-Spectrum-to-the-US-Economy-Full-
Report.pdf

53. Katz, Raul, TELECOM ADVISORY SERVICES, LLC. “ASSESSMENT OF THE FUTURE ECONOMIC VALUE OF UNLICENSED SPECTRUM IN THE UNITED
STATES” August 2014. available at http://www.wififorward.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Katz-Future-Value-Unlicensed-Spectrum-final-
version-1.pdf

54. Id.

55. Id.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 19
 • Enabling new technologies and business model opportunities for a variety of established and
emerging ecosystem players – innovations which ultimately benefit end-users56

• Supporting the expansion of services into unserved and underserved communities because the
availability of delicensed spectrum helps support the provision of affordable services to new
geographies and populations.

For these reasons a delicensed regime for the 60 GHz band could be economically and socially beneficial
for India and could help to transform India into a “digitally empowered society and knowledge economy”
as envisioned by the Digital India Programme.57 Under a delicensed framework, the unique characteristics
of the 60 GHz band and existing global standards for the band will enable a multitude of new technologies
and business models and help accelerate broadband penetration to underserved communities.

56. Id.

57. Digital India, Power to Empower, Vision of Digital India, at http://www.digitalindia.gov.in/content/vision-and-vision-areas.

20 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
 05 Conclusion

T
oday, India faces growing demands on its existing networks and increasing pressure to expand
its broadband infrastructure and meet its Digital India goals. With its unmatched capacity, the
60 GHz band has the potential to be a key piece of India’s digital strategy. By making the 60 GHz
band available under delicensed framework without specified channelization, India could unleash the
full potential of the 60 GHz band and leapfrog to multi-gigabit wireless services. By adopting a delicensed
approach, India could benefit from the economies of scale of existing investments and innovation in the
band. And such an approach would allow India to reap the same economic and social benefits that other
countries which have delicensed the band are expected to enjoy.

SUGGESTED V BAND PROPOSAL

The lower V band (57-64 GHz) today has three primary use cases, viz.

1. High Capacity Multi Gigabit Wireless for short-range communication links

2. Fixed Wireless Access Networks (Mesh Networks) - also known as ‘Wireless Fiber’

3. Point to Point Links for Cellular Backhaul

Ideally, the entire V-Band should be tech neutral, including use of .11d and .11ay, and that license-exempt
should apply everywhere in V.-Band. For generic fixed wireless usage, the applicable ETSI rules for the
backhaul use case are Section H of ETSI EN 302 217-2, and suitable both for .11ad and .11ay. The
power limits in this specification are substantially higher than in the Short Range Device (SRD) standard
and necessary for the wireless backhaul use case.

Recommendation:

The lower V band (57 – 66 GHz) may be permitted for all use cases on a license exempt
basis while other bands (such as upper V band from 66 GHz to 71 GHz) may be opened up
for point-to-point backhaul on a link-by-link basis through a self coordinated manner.

V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 21
22 V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update
V band (60 GHz): The Key to Affordable Broadband in India – A 2018 Update 23
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