India Releases Interim Common Standard for mmWave Wi-Fi to Capture Telecom FWA Opportunities

The Telecommunications Engineering Center under India's Ministry of Communications has released an interim common requirement standard for authorized millimeter-wave band AP and STA devices, targeting the n258 band—24.25 to 27.5 GHz—to promote standardized applications of Wi-Fi technology in outdoor point-to-point and point-to-multipoint deployments. Networking equipment manufacturer WinTek (4906-TW) has been actively developing its proprietary WoMT technology and securing a foothold in the Indian market. With the initial framework of official standards now established, the company is poised to accelerate the field verification and commercial rollout of its related equipment.

This regulation from India's Department of Telecommunications primarily enables equipment manufacturers and major telecom operators—including Airtel, Jio, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL—to conduct real-world outdoor field trials of Wi-Fi-over-mmWave technology, monitoring interference-free coexistence with existing network infrastructures.

WinTek has deepened its presence in India's Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) market through direct supply models with local telecom operators. As testing guidelines become clearer, the company anticipates significantly shortening the time required for new technology adoption and boosting medium- to long-term shipment momentum.

Currently, there are no established international or domestic Indian standards specifically governing the use of Wi-Fi technology in the 26 GHz millimeter-wave IMT band and its coexistence mechanisms. Therefore, this interim standard has been issued in provisional form and will be jointly supervised by the Wireless Planning & Coordination Wing and the Telecommunications Engineering Center.

Indian authorities emphasize that while this standard does not yet constitute formal approval for commercial deployment, it will be subject to rolling revisions based on progress from standardization bodies, field trial outcomes, and further research.

WinTek’s self-developed WoMT architecture leverages millimeter-wave frequencies to carry Wi-Fi transmissions, integrating high-performance RF with intelligent beamforming array antenna technology. This approach delivers high-speed, low-latency connectivity solutions without relying on expensive traditional 5G base station infrastructure.

Compared to standard 5G network architectures, this technology offers significant advantages in spectrum licensing, deployment flexibility, and setup costs—making it particularly suitable for emerging markets like India, where infrastructure development lags despite strong broadband demand.