6G work to start in 2021

Source: “The Next Hyper-Connected Experience for All” white paper 

Even with 5G still in the commercialisation stage, planning for the next generation is expected to start in 2021.

According to a Samsung white paper entitled 6G: The Next Hyper Connected Experience for All, ITU-R is expected to begin work on defining a 6G vision in 2021 with completion of the 6G standard and its earliest commercialisation as early as 2028, and massive commercialisation around 2030.

“The mobile industry has achieved great successes, from 2G to 4G. While it is still quite important to work to ensure commercial success of 5G in coming years, we believe it is the right time to start preparing for 6G,” said Samsung.

As with previous generations which took about a decade each, 6G will take many years to shape. Howerver, the time spent for defining vision and developing technical standards for each successive generation has shortened from 15 years for 3G to 8 years for 5G. This can be attributed to accelerating growth of technologies and market needs for mobile communications over the past decades.

6G is predicted to provide the ultimate experience for all through hyper-connectivity involving humans and everything.

“Applications that take advantage of wireless communications are expanding from connecting humans to connecting various things. Wireless communication is becoming an important part of social infrastructure and people’s daily lives. In addition, today’s exponential growth of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation will usher in unprecedented paradigm shifts in the wireless communication,” norted Samsung.

Four major megatrends are advancing toward 6G:

1. connected machines
2. use of AI for the wireless communication
3. openness of mobile communications
4. increased contribution for achieving social goals

With the commercialisation of 5G technologies, research activities are underway to shape 6G.

“Considering the general trend of successive generations of communication systems introducing new services with more stringent requirements, it is reasonable to expect 6G to satisfy unprecedented requirements and expectations that 5G cannot meet,” said Samsung.