Sony PS5 Pro launch in India held back amid telecom spectrum dispute

6GHz spectrum required for Wi-Fi 7 on PS5 Pro yet to be authorised by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for commercial use

Sony has announced that its latest gaming console, the PlayStation 5 Pro, will not be available in India due to wireless connectivity issues. In a statement, the company said: "The PS5 Pro will not be available in some countries (including India) where the 6GHz wireless band used in IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) has not yet been authorised."

 

Unveiled in September, Sony's PS5 Pro supports Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) for wireless connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 requires a 6GHz wireless band, which has yet to be authorised by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for use in the country. India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reportedly delayed the allocation of 6GHz spectrum, which remains a point of contention between Indian telecom operators and technology companies.

 

The 6GHz spectrum offers faster wireless connectivity over short distances compared to the existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. This makes it desirable to both telecom operators, who want to expand 5G services, and technology companies, who primarily seek it for Wi-Fi services.

 

While it will not be available in India for now, the mid-generation upgrade to the PlayStation 5 console has already gone on sale in several regions, including the US, Europe, and Japan. The PS5 Pro retains a similar design to the PS5, with minor changes such as stripe-like vents on either side.

In terms of performance, the new PS5 Pro delivers higher-fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates of 60 frames per second, compared to the standard PS5. The new graphics processing unit (GPU) in the PS5 Pro has 67 per cent more compute units than the existing PS5 and 28 per cent faster memory. The PS5 Pro also boasts improved ray tracing capabilities and an AI-powered upscaling technique that enhances visual detail, sharpness, and clarity. Other notable updates include variable refresh rates (VRR) and 8K resolution gaming support.