Jump to content

6G

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from 6G (network))
For other uses, see 6G (disambiguation).
Part of a series on the
Wireless network technologies
Analog
Digital
Mobile telecommunications

In telecommunications, 6G is the designation for a future technical standard of a sixth-generation technology for wireless communications.

It is the planned successor to 5G (ITU-R IMT-2020), and is currently in the early stages of the standardization process, tracked by the ITU-R as IMT-2030[1] with the framework and overall objectives defined in recommendation ITU-R M.2160-0.[2][3] Similar to previous generations of the cellular architecture, standardization bodies such as 3GPP and ETSI, as well as industry groups such as the NGMN Alliance, are expected to play a key role in its development.[4][5][6]

Numerous companies (Airtel, Anritsu, Apple, Ericsson, Fly, Huawei, Jio, Keysight, LG, Nokia, NTT Docomo, Samsung, Vi, Xiaomi), research institutes (Technology Innovation Institute, the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre) and countries (United States, United Kingdom, European Union member states, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Israel) have shown interest in 6G networks, and are expected to contribute to this effort.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

6G networks will likely be significantly faster than previous generations,[14] thanks to further improvements in radio interface modulation and coding techniques,[2] as well as physical-layer technologies.[15] Proposals include a ubiquitous connectivity model which could include non-cellular access such as satellite and WiFi, precise location services, and a framework for distributed edge computing supporting more sensor networks, AR/VR and AI workloads.[5] Other goals include network simplification and increased interoperability, lower latency, and energy efficiency.[2][16] It should enable network operators to adopt flexible decentralized business models for 6G, with local spectrum licensing, spectrum sharing, infrastructure sharing, and intelligent automated management. Some have proposed that machine-learning/AI systems can be leveraged to support these functions.[17][18][19][16][20]

The NGMN alliance have cautioned that "6G must not inherently trigger a hardware refresh of 5G RAN infrastructure", and that it must "address demonstrable customer needs".[16] This reflects industry sentiment about the cost of the 5G rollout, and concern that certain applications and revenue streams have not lived up to expectations.[21][22][23] 6G is expected to begin rolling out in the early 2030s,[14][22][24] but given such concerns it is not yet clear which features and improvements will be implemented first.

Expectations

[edit]

6G networks are expected to be developed and released by the early 2030s.[25][26] The largest number of 6G patents have been filed in China.[27]

Features

[edit]

Recent academic publications have been conceptualizing 6G and new features that may be included. Artificial intelligence (AI) is included in many predictions, from 6G supporting AI infrastructure to "AI designing and optimizing 6G architectures, protocols, and operations."[28] Another study in Nature Electronics looks to provide a framework for 6G research stating "We suggest that human-centric mobile communications will still be the most important application of 6G and the 6G network should be human-centric. Thus, high security, secrecy and privacy should be key features of 6G and should be given particular attention by the wireless research community."[29]

Transmission

[edit]

The frequency bands for 6G are undetermined. Initially, Terahertz was considered an important band for 6G, as indicated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers which stated that "Frequencies from 100 GHz to 3 THz are promising bands for the next generation of wireless communication systems because of the wide swaths of unused and unexplored spectrum."[30]

One of the challenges in supporting the required high transmission speeds will be the limitation of energy consumption and associated thermal protection in the electronic circuits.[31]

As of now, mid bands are being considered by WRC for 6G/IMT-2030.

Terahertz and millimeter wave progress

[edit]

Millimeter waves (30 to 300 GHz) and terahertz radiation (300 to 3,000 GHz) might, according to some speculations, be used in 6G. The wave propagation of these frequencies is much more sensitive to obstacles than the microwave frequencies (about 2 to 30 GHz) used in 5G and Wi-Fi, which are more sensitive than the radio waves used in 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G.

In October 2020, the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) launched a "Next G Alliance", an alliance consisting of AT&T, Ericsson, Telus, Verizon, T-Mobile, Microsoft, Samsung, and others that "will advance North American mobile technology leadership in 6G and beyond over the next decade."[32]

In January 2022, Purple Mountain Laboratories of China claimed that its research team had achieved a world record of 206.25 gigabits per second (Gbit/s) data rate for the first time in a lab environment within the terahertz frequency band, which is supposed to be the base of 6G cellular technology.[33]

In February 2022, Chinese researchers stated that they had achieved a record data streaming speed using vortex millimetre waves, a form of extremely high-frequency radio wave with rapidly changing spins, the researchers transmitted 1 terabyte of data over a distance of 1 km (3,300 feet) in a second. The spinning potential of radio waves was first reported by British physicist John Henry Poynting in 1909, but making use of it proved to be difficult. Zhang and colleagues said their breakthrough was built on the hard work of many research teams across the globe over the past few decades. Researchers in Europe conducted the earliest communication experiments using vortex waves in the 1990s. A major challenge is that the size of the spinning waves increases with distance, and the weakening signal makes high-speed data transmission difficult. The Chinese team built a unique transmitter to generate a more focused vortex beam, making the waves spin in three different modes to carry more information, and developed a high-performance receiving device that could pick up and decode a huge amount of data in a split second.[34]

In 2023, Nagoya University in Japan reported successful fabrication of three-dimensional wave guides with niobium metal,[35] a superconducting material that minimizes attenuation due to absorption and radiation, for transmission of waves in the 100GHz frequency band, deemed useful in 6G networking.

Test satellites

[edit]

On November 6, 2020, China launched a Long March 6 rocket with a payload of thirteen satellites into orbit. One of the satellites reportedly served as an experimental testbed for 6G technology, which was described as "the world's first 6G satellite."[36]

Geopolitics

[edit]

During rollout of 5G, China banned Ericsson in favour of Chinese suppliers, primarily Huawei and ZTE.[37][failed verification] Huawei and ZTE were banned in many Western countries over concerns of spying.[38] This creates a risk of 6G network fragmentation.[39] Many power struggles are expected during the development of common standards.[40] In February 2024, the U.S., Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, South Korea, Sweden and the U.K. released a joint statement stating that they support a set of shared principles for 6G for "open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, resilient, and secure connectivity."[41][42]

6G is considered a key technology for economic competitiveness, national security, and the functioning of society. It is a national priority in many countries and is named as priority in China's Fourteenth five-year plan.[43][44]

Many countries are favouring the OpenRAN approach, where different suppliers can be integrated together and hardware and software are independent of supplier.[45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "IMT towards 2030 and beyond". ITU – International Telecommunications Union. International Telecommunications Union (published November 2023). 2023. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Recommendation ITU-R M.2160-0" (PDF). ITU - International Telecommunications Union. November 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2024.
  3. ^ "The ITU-R Framework for IMT-2030" (PDF). ITU – International Telecommunications Union. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2024.
  4. ^ "Introduction to 3GPP Release 19 and 6G Planning". 3GPP – 3rd Generation Partnership Project. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. In 2024, 3GPP is poised to finalize its specification efforts for Release 18, focusing on 5G Advanced systems, while making major progress in the development of Release 19. 3GPP will also prepare for the transition to 6G standardization.
  5. ^ a b "ITU-R Framework for IMT-2030: Review and Future Direction" (PDF). NGMN – Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance. February 2, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Lin, Xingqin (September 1, 2022). "An Overview of 5G Advanced Evolution in 3GPP Release 18". IEEE Communications Standards Magazine. 6 (3): 77–83. arXiv:2201.01358. doi:10.1109/MCOMSTD.0001.2200001. The 6G standardization is expected to start in 3GPP around 2025.
  7. ^ Khan, Danish (January 2022). "Airtel, Vi push for work on 6G tech". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  8. ^ "Indian Telecom Jio partners with University of Oulu over development of 6G technology". Indian Express. January 21, 2022. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  9. ^ Rappaport, Theodore S. (February 10, 2020). "Opinion: Think 5G is exciting? Just wait for 6G". CNN. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  10. ^ Kharpal, Arjun (November 7, 2019). "China starts development of 6G, having just turned on its 5G mobile network". CNBC. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  11. ^ Boxall, Andy; Lacoma, Tyler (January 21, 2021). "What is 6G, how fast will it be, and when is it coming?". DigitalTrends. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "DoT to seek TRAI comment on use of 95GHz-3THz airwaves". TeleGeography. November 11, 2022. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  13. ^ "Looking toward 6G: Israel in the Age of Technological Decoupling". The Institute for National Security Studies. November 18, 2020. Archived from the original on May 24, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Fisher, Tim. "6G: What It Is & When to Expect It". Lifewire. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  15. ^ Björnson, Emil; Özdogan, Özgecan; Larsson, Erik G. (December 2020). "Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces: Three Myths and Two Critical Questions". IEEE Communications Magazine. 58 (12): 90–96. arXiv:2006.03377. doi:10.1109/MCOM.001.2000407 – via IEEE.
  16. ^ a b c "6G Position Statement" (PDF). NGMN - Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance. November 9, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Saad, W.; Bennis, M.; Chen, M. (2020). "A Vision of 6G Wireless Systems: Applications, Trends, Technologies, and Open Research Problems" (PDF). IEEE Network. 34 (3): 134–142. doi:10.1109/MNET.001.1900287. ISSN 1558-156X. S2CID 67856161. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  18. ^ Yang, H.; Alphones, A.; Xiong, Z.; Niyato, D.; Zhao, J.; Wu, K. (2020). "Artificial-Intelligence-Enabled Intelligent 6G Networks". IEEE Network. 34 (6): 272–280. arXiv:1912.05744. doi:10.1109/MNET.011.2000195. ISSN 1558-156X. S2CID 209324400. Archived from the original on July 12, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  19. ^ Xiao, Y.; Shi, G.; Li, Y.; Saad, W.; Poor, H. V. (2020). "Toward Self-Learning Edge Intelligence in 6G". IEEE Communications Magazine. 58 (12): 34–40. arXiv:2010.00176. doi:10.1109/MCOM.001.2000388. ISSN 1558-1896. S2CID 222090032. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  20. ^ Guo, W. (2020). "Explainable Artificial Intelligence for 6G: Improving Trust between Human and Machine". IEEE Communications Magazine. 58 (6): 39–45. doi:10.1109/MCOM.001.2000050. hdl:1826/15857. S2CID 207863445. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Meyer, Dan (November 20, 2023). "When will the 5G RAN market slump end?". SDX Central. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Morris, Iain (February 14, 2023). "Ericsson says 5G is spurring telco sales, but its case is weak". Light Reading. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024.
  23. ^ Dano, Mike (February 20, 2024). "In private wireless 5G, reality is strangling hype". Light Reading. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024.
  24. ^ "Korea plans to launch 6G network service in 2028". February 20, 2023. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  25. ^ "China sends world's first 6G test satellite into orbit". Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  26. ^ "China launches 'world's first 6G experiment satellite'". Anadolu Agency. November 6, 2020. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  27. ^ Asghar, Muhammad Zeeshan; Memon, Shafique Ahmed; Hämäläinen, Jyri (May 23, 2022). "Evolution of Wireless Communication to 6G: Potential Applications and Research Directions". Sustainability. 14 (10): 6356. doi:10.3390/su14106356. ISSN 2071-1050.
  28. ^ Letaief, Khaled B.; Chen, Wei; Shi, Yuanming; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Ying-Jun Angela (August 2019). "The roadmap to 6G: AI empowered wireless networks". IEEE Communications Magazine. Vol. 57, no. 8. pp. 84–90. arXiv:1904.11686. doi:10.1109/mcom.2019.1900271.
  29. ^ Dang, Shuping; Amin, Osama; Shihada, Basem; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim (January 2020). "What should 6G be?". Nature Electronics. 3 (1): 20–29. arXiv:1906.00741. doi:10.1038/s41928-019-0355-6. ISSN 2520-1131. S2CID 211095143. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  30. ^ Rappaport, Theodore S.; Xing, Yunchou; Kanhere, Ojas; Ju, Shihao; Madanayake, Arjuna; Mandal, Soumyajit; Alkhateeb, Ahmed; Trichopoulos, Georgios C. (2019). "Wireless Communications and Applications Above 100 GHz: Opportunities and Challenges for 6G and Beyond". IEEE Access. 7: 78729–78757. Bibcode:2019IEEEA...778729R. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2921522. ISSN 2169-3536.
  31. ^ Smulders, Peter (2013). "The Road to 100 Gb/s Wireless and Beyond: Basic Issues and Key Directions". IEEE Communications Magazine. 51 (12): 86–91. doi:10.1109/MCOM.2013.6685762. S2CID 12358456.
  32. ^ Wolfe, Marcella (October 13, 2020). "ATIS Launches Next G Alliance to Advance North American Leadership in 6G". Atis. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  33. ^ Pan, Che (January 6, 2022). "Chinese lab says it made a breakthrough in 6G mobile technology as global standards-setting race heats up". South China Morning Post. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  34. ^ Chen, Stephen (February 10, 2022). "Race to 6G: Chinese researchers declare data streaming record with whirling radio waves". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  35. ^ Nagoya University (October 5, 2023). "Superconducting niobium waveguide achieves high-precision communications for B5G/6G networks". techxplore.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  36. ^ "China sends 'world's first 6G' test satellite into orbit". BBC. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  37. ^ Morris, Iain (October 24, 2022). "Ericsson and Nokia are nearer to the endgame in China". lightreading.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  38. ^ Zhong, Raymond (July 5, 2019). "'Prospective Threat' of Chinese Spying Justifies Huawei Ban, U.S. Says". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  39. ^ Dano, Mike (October 5, 2023). "6G fragmentation may have just gotten a little closer". lightreading.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  40. ^ "6G Is Years Away, but the Power Struggles Have Already Begun". IEEE Spectrum. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  41. ^ Habeshian, Sareen (February 26, 2024). "U.S. and allies endorse 6G principles amid tech race with China". Axios. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  42. ^ "Joint Statement Endorsing Principles for 6G: Secure, Open, and Resilient by Design". The White House. February 27, 2024. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  43. ^ Pettyjohn, Stacie (November 14, 2023). "U.S.-China Competition and the Race to 6G". cnas.org. Archived from the original on January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  44. ^ "Translation: 14th Five-Year Plan for National Informatization – Dec. 2021". DigiChina. January 24, 2022. Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  45. ^ Kim, Mi-jin; Eom, Doyoung; Lee, Heejin (2023). "The geopolitics of next generation mobile communication standardization: The case of open RAN". Telecommunications Policy. 47 (10). Elsevier BV: 102625. doi:10.1016/j.telpol.2023.102625. ISSN 0308-5961. S2CID 265023622.
[edit]
Preceded by Mobile telephony generations In development
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=6G&oldid=1258385043"