What is a millimeter Wave band?

• Millimetre Wave band or mmWave is a particular segment of radio frequency spectrum that ranges between 24 GHz and 100 GHz. This spectrum, as the name suggests, has a short wavelength, and is apt to deliver greater speeds and lower latencies. 
• This in turn makes data transfer efficient and seamless as the current available networks work optimally only on lower frequency bandwidths.
• 5G services can be deployed using lower frequency bands. They can cover greater distances and are proven to work efficiently even in urban environments, which are prone to interference. But, when it comes to data speeds, these bands fail to hit peak potential needed for a true 5G experience. So, mmWave is an important piece in the 5G jigsaw puzzle for mobile service providers.

Why in News:

• The Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA), An industry body that represents interests of the communication satellite ecosystem in India has voiced concerns over the Government’s plan to include the mmWave bands in the 5G spectrum auction

Concerns

• The Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA), in its submission to TRAI, has urged the regulator to limit the inclusion of mmWave spectrum in the 5G auction as 27.5-31 GHz and 17.7-21.2 GHz bands have been preserved for satellite-based broadband services as per the decision taken by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The industry body pointed to Europe’s “5G Roadmap”, which is built on the ITU’s decision to hold these bands for satellite-based broadband services.
• Satellite-based communication service providers (example, SpaceX’s Starlink and Bharti Airtel’s OneWeb) use low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide broadband to both urban and rural users. Their service could also be used for weather predictions.
• Offering excessive spectrum resources in the upcoming 5G auction will result in Indian citizens being denied the benefits of high-demand, advanced satellite broadband services
• In addition to this, it will result in a massive loss to the Indian economy of up to $184.6 billion by 2030, along with the loss of foreign direct investment (FDI) and employment generation benefits.
• The industry body also noted that providing excess spectrum could pose a downside risk of the bands going unsold, or even worse, underutilised by terrestrial players at the expense of satellite-based service providers.
• The allocation of mmWave band is critical to the satellite communication industry, which needs a stronger regulatory support to ensure that 5G operations don’t interfere with their existing operations.

 Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/the-controversy-over-inclusion-of-the-mmwave-band-in-5g-auctions/article38271156.ece