With the world grappling with the broadband speed and swiftness of the fifth-generation network technology (5G), the thought of a sixth-generation network (6G) would surely be exciting.
Faster than the speed of light?
A network speed close as fast as the speed of light would surely excite internet users, in a world fast evolving into a village with the use of internet and of course the social media.
The fifth generation (5G) network improving on the Fourth-generation (4G) networks mandate was to provide faster data rates, low latency, energy savings, and even cost reduction, as well as higher system capacity and massive device connectivity, while also powering smart devices for both consumers and an industrial upgrade. But it seems the world will be availed with something even more faster and secure.
China may be leading the way in the 6G push as the government backed The Institute Purple Mountain Laboratories has announced that a research team had achieved a 6G-level wireless transmission up to a speed of 206.25 gigabits per second for the first time in a lab environment.
The 6G speed recorded was about 20 times faster than the fifth generation technology (5G) in China, while the speed achieved claims to be a world record for real-time wireless transmission within the terahertz frequency band, which is considered to be the base for future 6G mobile communications.
According to Journal, South China Morning Post, the Chinese Lab affirmed that when it comes to the 6G next-generation mobile communications technology, there has been a significant breakthrough in that regard.
With issues over standards-setting within the telecoms industry coming to the fore in the management and creation of the 6G technology, the laboratory noted that the achievement is laced with a wide area of application, as it has the ability to be integrated with existing fibre optical networks to expand 100-1000 Gbps outdoor and indoor ultra-high-speed wireless access.
According to a report by Chinese paper, Global Times, one significant trait of the project is the restoration of the existing mobile network fibre optical networks to achieve rapid deployment, while also replacing the huge amount of cables in the data centre to significantly reduce costs and power consumption.
The project was accomplished through collaboration alongside China’s telecom giants, including China Mobile and Fudan University.
In a recent report by Nikkei, China is has 40.3 percent of global 6G patent filings, followed by the U.S. with 35.2 percent. Japan with 9.9 percent, Europe with 8.9 percent and South Korea with 4.2 percent.
Also, telecom equipment giant, Huawei has projected that the 6G technology will enter the Chinese market in the year 2030 even as other countries are still in the process of rolling out the 5G technology.
Huawei Technologies is the leading company regarding providing 5G network equipment in China, and it is understandable if the company projects the 6G tech fusion into the Chinese market at around 2030.
But according to reports from the Light Reading research group, another leading 5G equipment manufacturer, Ericcson has in its prediction said early standards for 6G could be released as early as the year 2027.