The recent introduction of 5G across the globe has directed the interests of telecom experts to the development of the “6G network.” The 6G network is expected to be 100x faster than the max speed of 5G (more than the data rate of 1000 Gbps), has higher reliability, and lower latency compared with 5G. With such an upgrade, it will bring the concept of “Ambient Internet of Everything (AIoE),” providing a better connectivity experience to users.
It could bring science fiction, shown in movies such as “Star Wars and Avengers”, to reality, from flying automobiles to edge devices, and from real-time holograms to internet-connected human bodies and brains — the potential is endless.
Apart from boosting speed, 6G will come with a host of innovative features to experience next-generation communication network, thus, improving connectivity in artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and so on. It is expected to have a major impact on industries such as Media and Telecom, Automotive, Manufacturing, and Healthcare.
Although there is still a lot of ongoing research around the 6G network connectivity, it is at least a decade away from its commercialization. However, companies are constantly researching on adding features in 6G networks to take the first-mover advantage. Below are some of the key developments by companies in the 6G arena:
Not just organizations but governments across the globe are also racing to gear up for the 6G network. Alliances are formed by the government bodies to move ahead in the 6G race.
Being in the leading position, China launched its satellite last year to test airwaves for potential 6G transmission. The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology has formed two teams to oversee the research and study of 6G connectivity.
United States Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), including tech leaders such as Google, Apple, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, and AT&T, was exclusively formed to manage North America’s progress toward 6G. The alliance has the vision to achieve North American 6G wireless leadership.
The US and Japan have collaboratively invested $4.5 billion for the development of 6G. The government bodies from both countries said that they want to strengthen digital technology in ICT and next-generation mobile networks.
The US also formed alliances with the Republic of Korea to work on emerging connectivity technologies such as 5G and 6G. Both President Biden and President Moon have committed to collaborate on developing open, efficient, and transparent 5G and 6G network architectures using Open-RAN technology.
South Korea is planning to launch over 100 mini-satellites and 14 low earth orbit communication satellites in the next decade. It aims to set up a satellite communication network and get ready for 6G in the field of marine traffic and test autonomous ship control systems.
However, political battles and technological rivalries might be intense for 6G commercialization, and it could be certainly between the US and China, as it is happening for 5G deployment.
It would be too early to comment on the market dynamics of the 6G network, but it is expected to be influenced by government bodies, organizations, and academic sectors.
So far, there have been five generations of communication network, with the current industry focus on the fifth generation of mobile network, and by the next decade focus will be on its succeeding network — 6G. It will fulfill the limitation of 5G, especially in the practical application of AI. The 6G network’s minimal latency and optimal data rate are expected to transform the Telecommunication sector while boosting the performance and functionality of connected devices.
