Struggling to Monetize 5G
$COAI Director General, Lt Gen S.P. Kochhar, has noted that despite significant 5G rollout, telcos are still finding it hard to generate viable revenue from 5G services. Outlook Business+1
6G Outlook Hinged on AI
COAI argues that the true potential of 6G lies in embedding AI into the network. The industry body believes that commercial use cases built on learnings from 5G experimentation will only mature when 6G is more widely adopted. Outlook Business+1
Pressure on OTT Platforms
$COAI is pushing for OTT (over-the-top) communication apps (like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal) to be brought under the Unified Telecom Licence, citing security concerns (e.g., interception, data retention). Outlook Business
It also argues that large traffic generating (LTG) platforms don’t share enough of the network cost burden, which strains telcos’ finances. The Economic Times
Spectrum & Network Cost Challenges
Telcos are warning about the rising financial pressure: COAI says the gap between network capex and revenues has crossed ₹10,000 crore. The Times of India
They’ve also opposed direct allocation of private 5G spectrum to enterprises. Instead, COAI suggests use of leasing or network slicing through licensed telcos. The Financial Express
Regulatory Engagement
In its Union Budget 2025–26 recommendations, $COAI has called for removal or suspension of certain regulatory levies on telcos to ease the financial burden of 5G investment. coai.com
It welcomed the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s recommendation to merge MeitY, MIB, and DoT under one umbrella — believing it could make policy-making more coherent, especially for converged threats like spam and OTT misuse. Tele.net
6G Launch Risk
#COAI has cautioned that poor ROI on 5G might delay the rollout of 6G beyond 2030, unless telcos see better returns or get support (e.g., from OTTs contributing to infrastructure costs). The New Indian Express
