The PS5 Pro was announced in select regions earlier in September this year. It features improved performance compared to the regular PS5 and went on sale on November 7. However, Sony India has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 Pro will not be available in India. The reason for this is the unavailability of the 6GHz wireless Band used in IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) in the region.
Sony India said in a statement, “PS5 Pro will not be available in some countries (which presently includes India) where 6GHz wireless band used in IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) has not yet been allowed.”
Decoding 6 GHz wireless band
The 6 GHz wireless band, used in Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be), is critical because it enables faster speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity than previous Wi-Fi standards. Expanding beyond the congested 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, the 6 GHz band opens up more channels and reduces interference, especially in areas with many connected devices. For instance, the more devices you connect to a 5 GHz band, the more congested it becomes, adversely affecting Latency and speeds on all connected devices.
This capability, which the 6 GHz wireless band possesses, is particularly beneficial for high-performance devices like the PS5 Pro, which require stable, high-speed internet for demanding activities such as online gaming, streaming, and content downloads. With Wi-Fi 7 and the 6 GHz band, users can experience a smoother and more responsive connection, allowing quicker downloads and lag-free gameplay.
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Some countries, including India, have regulatory restrictions on the 6 GHz band, so devices that use this Frequency cannot be fully supported. Consequently, PS5 Pro will not be available in these regions until local regulations permit the use of the 6 GHz band. This ensures compatibility with Wi-Fi 7 and maximizes the device’s potential performance.
6 GHz Band Allocation in India
India’s stance on the release of the 6 GHz band has been uncertain. In August of this year, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) delayed its decision to allocate the 6 GHz band due to an ongoing dispute between telecom operators and technology firms.
The entire 6 GHz band will be allocated to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for satellite use until a Resolution is achieved, according to a report by the Financial Express.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and its member countries have designated the 6 GHz band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) in Region 1, encompassing Europe, West Asia, and Africa. In response, India, located in Region 3, has extended its decision-making timeline until 2027. This extension provides additional time to conduct studies on the coexistence of telecommunications and satellite communications.
By 2027, users will expect the PlayStation 6 to come out as the PS5 series is reaching its end-of-life cycle (based on Sony’s previous console releases), meaning the PS5 Pro may never arrive in India.
PS5 Pro was announced back in September. Within it, Sony has upgraded to a GPU with 67% more computing units than the current PS5 console and 28% faster memory. According to the brand, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.
Finally, PS5 Pro supports even more powerful ray tracing capabilities that provide more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PS5 console.