Nowadays, we’re constantly connected to the Internet, whether it be from Wi-Fi at our house, public Wi-Fi, or through mobile data. Well, that mobile data comes from 5G for most of you, which is the fifth generation of cellular network technology aka wireless technology. It has been used by operators all over the globe. There is, of course, a chance that some of you still use 3G or 4G, while 2G is still used by some businesses too, it all depends on where you live. Quite a few people know that they’re using 5G, but they don’t know what it is. Well, we have an article that will explain 5G to you, but that’s not what we’re focusing on here. In this article, we’ll focus on 6G, the next generation of cellular network technology aka wireless technology, that is on the horizon.
6G is not exactly right around the corner. At this point in time, it’s still a mystery, but we do have enough information to talk about it, and give you an idea of what it is, and what to expect. 6G is expected to be a considerable step forward, then again, the same was expected out of 5G. Granted, in some regions, 5G was a huge step forward, especially in terms of speed. In the US, for example. In Europe, not so much. Europe had access to much faster HSPA+ speeds, and when 5G arrived, the change was not as notable as it was in some other parts of the world. It’s not all about data speed, though, not at all, but it is the detail that consumers notice the most. In any case, let’s dive in.
What is 6G?
6G is the sixth generation of wireless technology for cellular networks. It’s expected to improve data speeds and bring over a broader range of capabilities. A number of companies are working on 6G, including Ericsson, Qualcomm, Nokia, and more. Each of them has their own definitions and expectations of 6G. Ericsson said that “Future 6G networks will bridge physical things, people and activities into a fully cyber-physical world where the digital and physical worlds as we know them today have merged.” Nokia said that “In the 6G era, the digital, physical and human world will seamlessly fuse to trigger extrasensory experiences.”, while Qualcomm says that “6G will be a transformative force in mobile communications, offering significant enhancements over 5G and generations before it.”
All of that sounds very vague, though. 6G is expected to integrate AI, sensing, digital twinning, and a number of new system features, which will enable higher levels of efficiency and performance. 6G is expected to be smarter and offer better performance in essentially every way compared to 5G, to put it bluntly. Nokia says that “Intelligent knowledge systems will be combined with robust computation capabilities to make humans endlessly more efficient and redefine how we live, work and take care of the planet”. Considering how far off 6G is at this point, that’s the best explanation you’ll get.
6G vs 5G
While there are many gaps in details for 6G, we do have some projected expectations that could give us a good idea as to what improvements to expect over 5G. 5G, on its own, brought considerable improvements over 4G. Well, 6G is expected to be a massive jump, even compared to 5G. Let’s start with data speed, as that’s what most people think of when this topic is brought up. 5G offers data transfer speeds of up to 20 Gbps per second. 6G is projected to offer up to 1 Tbps per second.
While 5G has latency around 1 millisecond, 6G is expected to bring that over to as low as 1 microsecond. While 5G supports Sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequency bands, 6G is expected to support both of those, plus Tetrahertz (THz) waves. What about device density? Well, in the case of 5G, it’s up to 1 million devices per square kilometer. 6G is expected to bring that up to 10 million devices per square kilometer.
5G brought over enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type communications, and ultra-reliable low-latency communications. That was its main focus. 6G, on the other hand, is expected to focus on the integration of AI, ubiquitous connectivity, immersive experiences, and sustainability. All in all, 6G will be faster, more responsive, and be able to handle an exponentially larger number of connected devices. It is expected to be a massive jump forward.
Various improvements
We’re going to get a bit technical now, as we’ll talk about various improvements that 6G will bring to the table. Many companies offer their details, but Qualcomm, in specific, has a really nice breakdown for us to focus on. Let’s get to it.
AI-Native Networks and Devices
6G is aiming to leverage AI to the best of its ability, from network planning and operation optimization to spectrum management and device experience. You can expect a heavy focus on AI, though that is to be expected.
Advanced Spectrum Utilization
6G is also expected to support new spectrum in order to meet growing demand. Qualcomm is mentioning upper mid-band in 7-16 GHz and sub-terahertz in 100+ GHz. Spectrum sharing will also come into play.
Next-generation Air Interface
What is ‘air interface’? Well, the term includes next-gen waveforms, multiple access and channel coding, as well as some considerable advancements in MIMO, duplexing design, and more.
Scalable Network Architecture
One of the main goals of 6G is to offer a more flexible network architecture. That includes advancements in network configurations and the use of cloud-native technologies. It also includes a thin control plane design for reduced system complexity.
Integrated Sensing and Communications
6G will be able to detect objects, motion, and even gestures without requiring active electronics on the target. Needless to say, this enables a ton of new use cases and is one of the main additions that 6G will bring.
Digital Twin Network
Virtual replicas of physical networks can be useful. The digital twin can be used to optimize performance (coverage, capacity, and so on) of the network, as well as synthesize data for wireless AI model training.
Sustainable System Design
Companies are engineering 6G so that they can minimize the environmental footprint of wireless networks. This will lead to a reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) and will help environmental efforts in general, of course.
Seamless Satellite Integration
6G is expected to integrate terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN) from the get-go. That will enable a robust and unified wireless infrastructure that ensures seamless connectivity.
Resilient Communication
6G tech should ensure more reliable connections across a wide range of scenarios, as new technologies for it are being developed. That includes enhanced mobility and interference management.
When will it arrive?
Many of you are probably wondering when will 6G arrive. All this talk is for nothing until we see all the advancements in action. Well, the first commercial 6G services are expected to arrive around the year 2030. That’s something that most companies agree on. Pre-commercial trials are expected to start in 2028, while early proof of concepts could arrive even sooner than that. Pre-standardization work for the first 6G has already started. It is also worth noting that 6G research began years ago and that it is now in the applied phase.
Applications (some of them)
6G is expected to unlock a number of possibilities for new applications across various sectors. We, of course, cannot name them all, but we’ll give you some examples below, which should give you a general idea of what’s coming.
Healthcare
Yes, 6G should provide a major boost to healthcare if used properly. That’s what will benefit people a lot, needless to say. Remote surgeries should become a major option, and even real-time health monitoring through bio implants is mentioned. On top of that, AI-boosted diagnostics will come into play, and more.
Smart(er) cities
The boost in connectivity realiability, speed, and general smarts of connectivity should enable intelligent traffic management, optimize energy consumption, and make a lot more changes in order to bring truly smart cities to life.
Transportation
Autonomous vehicles are expected to become a regular part of our lives once 5G comes into play. It will enable them to communicate with each other in real-time, thus boosting the safety of use. That should, in turn, make transportation more efficient too.
Entertainment
The entertainment sector will also get a boost thanks to 6G. Holographic communication has been mentioned, which should essentially bring forth lifelike social interactions and even meetings. Extended reality (XR) will also get a boost, and more.
Who’s leading the 6G race?
It is difficult to say who is leading the 6G race. Quite a few countries and companies are currently actively working on 6G. Huawei and ZTE are the major players in China. They’ve already conducted successful satellite tests for ultra-high-speed data transmissions. When it comes to the US, Qualcomm is worth noting, along with the fact that the US is pushing 6G forward with initiatives like the Next G Alliance.
When Korea is concerned, Samsung is worth noting, of course, while it’s also worth saying that the Korean government invested heavily in 6G research. Japan is also heavily investing in 6G, while the EU is also actively funding 6G research and development through a number of projects. Companies like Nokia and Ericsson are playing a major role in the research and development.
What will 6G mean for an end consumer?
What does 6G mean for the end consumer? Will you even notice the difference? Of course you will. 6G is actually expected to bring big changes, in the general sense. We’ll try to list some for you below.
Speed boost
Yes, it will be faster than 5G. Once again, that’s what most people think of when they think of 3G, 4G, 5G, and 6G, so that’s the first thing worth noting. It will bring a speed boost, even though that’s just one of many changes. 6G could end up providing us with 100x faster speeds than 5G, potentially up to 1 Tbps.
Seamless connectivity
6G is expected to patch up dead zones and mean the end of dropped calls, basically. Internet reliability is expected to be higher than ever when 6G comes into play. That goes for planes, rural areas, ships, and so on.
Ultra-low latency
6G is also expected to bring ultra-low latency, which is something users will definitely end up noticing, especially if you’re into gaming. This will also be noticeable on the AR and VR side of things, and should provide a great boost for remote work too.
Power efficiency
This change will also be significant for power consumption. Ai will mean a great boost in that regard. Devices should be able to manage energy use more intelligently tahnks to AI-driven networking.
Truly immersive experiences
What do I mean by this? Well, believe it or not, but holographic video calls are expected to become a thing. Truly immersive virtual and augmented reality tech applications also await us, in both gaming and social interactions, and more.
Conclusion
So, all in all, 6G is far more than just an incremental upgrade. In fact, it’ll be one of the biggest jumps forward thus far when it comes to wireless technology. In addition to both speed and intelligence boost, 6G will also bring the physical and digital worlds closer together. We’re still far away from 6G becoming a standard, but the possibilities and expectations are truly high. Let’s hope that it will live up to the hype.
