Too early to be thinking about 6G?
Most networking consultants don’t believe so. Despite being a decade away, preparing for 6G technological advances now can put your organization in the proverbial catbird seat when 6G launches.
Even though no one knows exactly what 6G will look like, industry experts insist that 6G will be about a lot more than mere internet speeds. They also believe – based on initial research and interviews with leaders in this field – that 6G will be a fully integrated, internet-system that allows for instantaneous communications between consumers, devices, vehicles, and the surrounding environment.
Right now, we have 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) with smartphones and smart home devices. Eventually we could arrive at an all-encompassing Internet of Everything.
University professors in wireless technology believe that even though 6G will not just be about speed, it will be speedier than 5G nonetheless. In fact 6G architecture could allow users to hit maximum speeds of one terabyte (Tbsp.) per second on an internet device.
That’s 100 times faster than 10 Gbps, the hypothetical top speed of 5G. Fundamentally, though, 6G will place an emphasis on extremely high bandwidth and reliability. On 6G, internet will be instantly and continuously accessible, woven for many of us into the tapestry of everyday life.
The terabyte range was put in motion in 2019 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened the gates to a potential 6G future by allowing companies to begin experimenting with what’s being called “terahertz waves” or “submillimeter waves.” These are radio bands that fall in the spectrum of 95GHz to 3THz (terahertz).
Terahertz waves come at a higher frequency than 5G’s millimeter waves. Advanced versions of 5G depend on millimeter wave bands to carry vast amounts of data at ultrafast speeds with minimal response time, making it (theoretically) possible to develop things like automated cars and remote surgeries.
The catch is that millimeter waves work only over short distances, requiring a “line of sight” between the transmitter and the user. And terahertz waves have even weaker range. But if they can be properly harnessed with some novel networking approaches, it can open up even more capacity for amazing technological applications over a 6G network.
Want to learn more? Tonex offers a rare Introduction to 6G course, a 1-day seminar that focuses on an overview of 6G technology aligned with ITU-T’s IMT-2030. Participants learn about 6G Systems, Use Cases, Applications, Trends, Technologies, and Protocols as well as 6G networks, IMT-2030 vision, requirements, architecture, and key technologies.
6G is the future of mobile networks promised by ITU-T’s Network 2030. Tonex now offers training courses to help build next-generation 6G skills.
For more information, questions, comments, contact us.