Guwahati: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) favours selling 5G spectrum to private players for their captive networks for use in campuses like factories, hotels, and universities, a media report said.

The Broadband India Forum (BIF) favours allocating spectrum to commercial firms for captive networks. Simultaneously, the Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) believes that the spectrum should stay in the hands of telecom service providers (TSPs).

Captive networks are isolated networks in which corporations are allocated a spectrum to use inside a certain geographic area. As a result, it is often known as a spectrum for confined or local applications.

Previously, COAI, which includes Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea, wrote to Vaishnaw, stating that there is 'no commercial justification for the development of 5G networks' if captive private wireless networks are allowed.

Allowing such captive networks will "diminish income so much that there will be no viable business case left for telecom service providers and there will be no need for TSPs to set up 5G networks."

This firm attitude by telecoms may have a negative influence on or postpone the country's planned 5G deployment by the end of the year. It may even compel them to reconsider their 5G spectrum auction approach, though most believe they will continue to participate in the auction.