Reliance Jio has reportedly applied to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) seeking approval to widen the use of E-band spectrum to access or mobility use in addition to backhaul. The telco stressed that with technological advancement, the distinction between the two has vanished.
In 2022, the DoT had given the E-band spectrum to telcos administratively for backhaul use only to smoothen 5G roll-out. Jio now wants the DoT to send a fresh reference to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) underlining that the E-band spectrum can also be used for access services.
According to Jio, its requirement to use the E-band for access services, in addition to backhaul, is fully aligned with technological developments and international standards of 3GPP. The telco told DoT that with the use of integrated access backhaul, E-band spectrum can be used in providing high-speed broadband in densely populated areas where laying last-mile fibre is difficult and uneconomical.
