New Delhi, June 27 -- As India moves towards opening a key spectrum band for next-generation Wi-Fi services, the government is treading cautiously over demands to raise the power limit allowed for licence-free use of the devices in the band, officials in the know said. The matter concerns the amount of energy-or power-that a Wi-Fi device uses to transmit its signal over radio frequencies. Higher power means the signal is stronger, allowing it to travel farther, pass through walls and other obstacles more effectively, and maintain a stable connection over a wider area. Higher power is especially important for next-generation applications that require high-speed, low-latency connections across larger spaces. But too much power can cause interference, so the government sets limits depending on how and where the device is used (such as indoors vs outdoors). Big Tech and broadband firms such as Meta, Sony, Google, and Apple, through their associations, are pushing for higher transmission power to support faster, wider Wi-Fi coverage and better experience to consumers. But officials warn that such changes to power limit could risk interference with existing satellite, broadcasting, and fixed communication services operating in the band. The debate reflects growing tension between expanding digital connectivity and safeguarding critical legacy infrastructure. "The industry has asked for increasing the power limits. The only concern is the interference with the incumbents in the band. The band is used for satellite-based applications, teleports, cable TV and broadcasting services, which supports the lives of many people," a government official said. Continuation of the current low power levels for licence-free use of 6GHz band (in the range 5925-6425 MHz) have therefore been recommended to avoid any possible interference, the official added. "Industry comments on the feasibility of increasing power limits are currently under review," a second government official said. "The immediate priority is to finalize the rules and open up the band for use. The need for higher power levels can be considered later, based on further studies." On 16 May, the department of telecommunications (DoT) released the draft rules for industry consultation, paving the way for licence-free use of a portion of the key 6GHz (5925-6425 MHz) spectrum. The band is crucial for providing high-speed Wi-Fi and supporting the next-generation gadgets such as Sony PlayStation, and augmented and virtual reality devices such as Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. The stakeholders were given 30 days to respond to the draft rules. Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday the rules for licence-free use of the 6GHz band will be out before 15 August. In the draft rules, the government proposed the use of low power and very low power wireless access system in the band. The power emission levels have been kept at 5 dBm per MHz for indoor WiFi devices, with a maximum total power of the antenna at 30 dBm. For outdoor devices, the DoT has called for using very low power emission levels at -5 dBm, with a maximum power emission level at 14 dBm. Decibel-milliwatts, or dBm is used to measure power levels, especially in wireless communication like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile signals. In wireless systems, higher dBm means stronger signals....