Signal Radar: Has a 6G arms race already begun?
Although many of us are still getting to grips with the potential of 5G, the race to build and commercialise 6G has already started.
– This signal forms part of Hunch | Strategic Innovation Pathfinder, our proprietary cross-sector database examining changes in customer behaviour and expectations that have the potential to grow in scale and impact. –
Unlikely to be operational for another decade, the possibilities presented by 6G are being explored by telecommunications giants, universities and governments. Although internet infrastructure generations only change about once every 10 years, new-generation standards tend to arrive sooner. Samsung expects the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union to ‘define a 6G vision’ this year.
China is looking ahead and has announced the formation of a 6G research team, as well an initiative called Standards 2035, with which it plans to set the standards for the world’s future technologies, including 6G. Meanwhile, January saw the launch of a new European initiative to shape the future of 6G. Hexa-X, spearheaded by Nokia and Ericcson, is a consortium of 25 key players exploring new possibilities to connect human, physical, and digital worlds with a fabric of 6G key enablers.
Other organisations researching future telecoms capabilities include the University of Oulu (in collaboration with Nokia) as well as telecoms giants Samsung, LG, SK Telecom and Huawei.
According to a Samsung white paper, there are 3 key use cases for 6G: Immersive extended reality (XR); high-fidelity mobile hologram; and digital replicas. The paper states “With the help of advanced sensors, AI, and communication technologies, it will be possible to replicate physical entities, including people, devices, objects, systems, and even places, in a virtual world”
It may all sound distinctly Star Trekkie, but who will be the winners and losers in the race for real-world commercial success?