It is the planned successor to
5G (ITU-T
IMT-2020), and is currently in the early stages of the standardization process, tracked by the
ITU-T as IMT-2030[1] with the framework and overall objectives defined in recommendation ITU-R M.2160-0.[2][3] Similar to previous generations of the cellular architecture, standardization bodies such as
3GPP and
ETSI, as well as industry groups such as the
NGMN Alliance, are expected to play a key role in its development.[4][5][6]
6G networks will likely be significantly faster than previous generations,[13] thanks to further improvements in radio interface modulation and coding techniques,[2] as well as physical-layer technologies.[14] Proposals include a ubiquitous connectivity model which could include non-cellular access such as satellite and WiFi, precise location services, and a framework for distributed edge computing supporting more sensor networks, AR/VR and AI workloads.[5] Other goals include network simplification and increased interoperability, lower latency, and energy efficiency.[2][15] It should enable network operators to adopt flexible decentralized
business models for 6G, with local
spectrum licensing, spectrum sharing, infrastructure sharing, and intelligent automated management. Some have proposed that machine-learning/AI systems can be leveraged to support these functions.[16][17][18][15][19]
The NGMN alliance have cautioned that "6G must not inherently trigger a hardware refresh of 5G RAN infrastructure", and that it must "address demonstrable customer needs".[15] This reflects industry sentiment about the cost of the 5G rollout, and concern that certain applications and revenue streams have not lived up to expectations.[20][21][22] 6G is expected to begin rolling out towards the end of the 2030s,[13][21][23] but given such concerns it is not yet clear which features and improvements will be implemented first.
Expectations
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2024)
6G networks are expected to be developed and released by the late 2030s.[24][25] The largest number of 6G patents have been filed in
China and the
United States.[26]
Features
Recent academic publications have been conceptualizing 6G and new features that may be included. Artificial intelligence (AI) is included in many predictions, from 6G supporting AI infrastructure to "AI designing and optimizing 6G architectures, protocols, and operations."[27] Another study in
Nature Electronics looks to provide a framework for 6G research stating "We suggest that human-centric mobile communications will still be the most important application of 6G and the 6G network should be human-centric. Thus, high security, secrecy and privacy should be key features of 6G and should be given particular attention by the wireless research community."[28]
Transmission
The frequency bands for 6G are undetermined. The
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers states that "Frequencies from 100 GHz to 3 THz are promising bands for the next generation of wireless communication systems because of the wide swaths of unused and unexplored
spectrum."[29]
One of the challenges in supporting the required high transmission speeds will be the limitation of energy consumption and associated thermal protection in the electronic circuits.[30]
Terahertz and millimeter wave progress
Millimeter waves (30 to 300 GHz) and
terahertz radiation (300 to 3000 GHz) might, according to some speculations, be used in 6G. The wave propagation of these frequencies is much more sensitive to obstacles than the
microwave frequencies (about 2 to 30 GHz) used in
5G and
Wi-Fi, which are more sensitive than the
radio waves used in
1G,
2G,
3G and
4G.
In January 2022, Purple Mountain Laboratories of China claimed that its research team had achieved a world record of 206.25 gigabits per second (Gbit/s) data rate for the first time in a lab environment within the terahertz frequency band, which is supposed to be the base of 6G cellular technology.[32]
In February 2022, Chinese researchers stated that they had achieved a record data streaming speed using
vortex millimetre waves, a form of extremely high-frequency radio wave with rapidly changing spins, the researchers transmitted 1 terabyte of data over a distance of 1 km (3,300 feet) in a second. The spinning potential of radio waves was first reported by British physicist
John Henry Poynting in 1909, but making use of it proved to be difficult. Zhang and colleagues said their breakthrough was built on the hard work of many research teams across the globe over the past few decades. Researchers in Europe conducted the earliest communication experiments using vortex waves in the 1990s. A major challenge is that the size of the spinning waves increases with distance, and the weakening signal makes high-speed data transmission difficult. The Chinese team built a unique transmitter to generate a more focused vortex beam, making the waves spin in three different modes to carry more information, and developed a high-performance receiving device that could pick up and decode a huge amount of data in a split second.[33]
In 2023,
Nagoya University in Japan reported successful fabrication of three-dimensional wave guides with
niobium metal,[34]
a
superconducting material that minimizes attenuation due to absorption and radiation, for transmission of waves in the 100GHz frequency band, deemed useful in 6G networking.
Test satellites
On November 6, 2020, China launched a
Long March 6rocket with a payload of thirteen satellites into orbit. One of the satellites reportedly served as an experimental testbed for 6G technology, which was described as "the world's first 6G satellite."[35]
Geopolitics
During rollout of
5G, China banned
Ericsson in favour of Chinese suppliers, primarily
Huawei and
ZTE.[36][failed verification]Huawei and
ZTE were banned in many Western countries over concerns of spying.[37] This creates a risk of 6G network fragmentation.[38] Many power struggles are expected during the development of common standards.[39] In February 2024, the U.S., Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, South Korea, Sweden and the U.K. released a joint statement stating that they support a set of shared principles for 6G for "open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, resilient, and secure connectivity."[40][41]
6G is considered a key technology for economic competitiveness, national security, and the functioning of society. It is a national priority in many countries and is named as priority in China's
Fourteenth five-year plan.[42][43]
Many countries are favouring the
Open RAN approach, where different suppliers can be integrated together and hardware and software are independent of supplier.[44]
References
^"IMT towards 2030 and beyond". ITU - International Telecommunications Union. International Telecommunications Union (published November 2023). 2023.
Archived from the original on April 3, 2024.
^"Introduction to 3GPP Release 19 and 6G Planning". 3GPP - 3rd Generation Partnership Project.
Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. In 2024, 3GPP is poised to finalize its specification efforts for Release 18, focusing on 5G Advanced systems, while making major progress in the development of Release 19. 3GPP will also prepare for the transition to 6G standardization.
^
abc"6G Position Statement"(PDF). NGMN - Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance. November 9, 2023.
Archived(PDF) from the original on April 3, 2024.
^Kim, Mi-jin; Eom, Doyoung; Lee, Heejin (2023). "The geopolitics of next generation mobile communication standardization: The case of open RAN". Telecommunications Policy. 47 (10). Elsevier BV: 102625.
doi:
10.1016/j.telpol.2023.102625.
ISSN0308-5961.
S2CID265023622.