In telecommunications, the 6G Standard is the next generation of mobile technology currently under development for wireless communications technologies supporting cellular data networks. It is the planned successor to 5G and will likely be significantly faster.
It is expected to be ratified in the year 2028 and will succeed the 5G standard. The 6G Standard will provide significantly higher data rates, lower latency, and increased capacity compared to 5G. It will also enable a new range of applications and services that are not possible with 5G.
The 6G Standard is being developed by the 3GPP, the same organisation that developed the 5G Standard. The 6G Standard is still in the early stages of development and is currently being studied by the 3GPP working groups. A lot of work has already been done on the 6G Standard, and it is expected to be finalised in the next few years.
In this blog, I aim to provide you with a high level executive overview introduction of the 6G Standard and its expected features and benefits, and some key points I believe you and your organisation should be discussing now to ensure you are future ready for yet another pivotal shift in the telecommunications landscape.
What is 6G?
The 6G standard is the next generation of mobile technology that is expected to be ratified in the year 2028. It will have several advantages over the 5G standard, including higher data rates, better capacity, and lower latency.
The 6G standard will be aimed at delivering enhanced capabilities to mobile networks, enabling faster and more secure networks for users. It will provide significant improvements in terms of data rates, latency, and capacity, allowing users to access and use the latest applications and services more easily.
In addition, the 6G standard will be designed to be more energy efficient and secure, while also offering improved coverage and reliability. It will enable better quality of service for users and allow for a much broader range of applications with much lower latency. In addition, it will enable cloud applications and services, while providing better support for virtual reality, augmented reality, and the internet of things.
Why is 6G necessary?
The 6G standard is essential for the development of new services and applications which will improve the user experience. As digital services become increasingly sophisticated, they are expected to require higher data rates and low latency.
The 6G standard is necessary for improving network performance and capacity, enabling more users to connect simultaneously and access more data faster than ever before. In addition, the 6G standard will allow for increased use of cloud applications, augmented reality, virtual reality, and internet of things applications.
It is also necessary to reduce the cost and power consumption of network infrastructure. The 6G standard will offer improved energy efficiency and lower operating costs compared to previous generations of mobile technology. The 6G standard could also enable improved coverage and quality of service, thereby supporting a range of new services and applications.
What are the key features of 6G?
The 6G standard provides a number of features which will improve and enhance existing services as well as enable the use of new services and applications. These features include:
- Increased speeds of up to 1 terabit per second (1 Tbps)
- Sub-millisecond latency
- Improved connection density
- Improved energy efficiency due to the use of advanced modulation techniques
- Improved radio coverage with increased use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms
- Support of both cellular and broadcast networks
- Support for transmitters and receivers located at different sites (multi-hop networks)
- Improved spectrum efficiency and reliability
- Reuse of licensed and unlicensed spectrum
- Support for cognitive radio networks and spectrum sharing
When will 6G be available?
The 6G standard is still under development and is expected to be available by 2022 or 2023. However, some parts of the technology such as spectrum efficiency, energy efficiency, and cognitive radio networks are already available now.
It is expected that the 6G technology will be a game changer and will be used for far more than just communication. It will be used to provide mission-critical services, such as policing, healthcare, transportation, and even educational services.
The 6G will pave the way for cutting-edge applications such as tactile internet, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), machine learning, and internet of things (IoT).
The 5G network will also serve as the foundation for 6G technology, and the two will be closely intertwined. For example, 5G will provide the necessary infrastructure for 6G, while 6G will bring in the necessary reliability and scalability for 5G.
This is why it is important to upgrade 5G to 6G as soon as possible so that the technology can be used to its full potential.
How will 6G impact our lives?
6G is expected to have a major impact on our lives and the way we work. It is capable of connecting devices with both low and high data rates, allowing for the development of new applications and services in several industries.
One of the most important aspects of 6G will be its ability to enable the tactile internet, a type of technology that allows people to interact with and feel virtual objects in realtime. This has a wide range of applications, including virtual gaming, healthcare, and education.
The 6G standard will also bring in enhanced augmented and virtual reality, allowing users to interact with virtual objects as if they were real. It will also bring in granularity and speed in communication as well as distributed machine learning, which will enable faster and smarter decision making.
Finally, 6G will improve the reliability and scalability of 5G networks. It will also increase the speed of data transfer and significantly reduce latency, making certain applications and services such as remote collaboration, 3D printing, and connected vehicles more efficient and reliable.
Summing up 6G
6G promises to be a revolutionary force in the communications world, ushering in a new era of digital information access. It could potentially bring about a massive shift in our lives, making it easier for us to perform complex tasks, enjoy enhanced gaming experiences, and communicate from far away places.
However, 6G is still very much in its infancy. This means that a lot of research and development is still required if it is to reach its full potential. It is expected that by 2022, commercial implementations of 6G will begin to appear, and by the mid-2030s, the 6G standard will be fully established.
The future of 6G is indeed exciting and promises to bring about incredible advances in our communications industry. While much research and development is still required, it promises to open up new possibilities that will make our lives easier and more exciting. We can’t wait to see what the future brings! For more updates on business, technology & telecommunications trends like list, be sure to follow me on Twitter.