Adrian Weckler on possibilities of 6G
6G MOBILE will allow people to download 100 hours of Netflix video in a second thanks to new chips and networks being developed by researchers from tech giants and mobile operators.
Developers from Japan, Korea and Singapore have collaborated to start making the first early prototypes of 6G chips, which could pave the way for ubiquitous ‘mixed reality’ applications and faultless self-driving vehicles.
Researchers from Osaka University in Japan and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have created a chip able to transfer data at 11 gigabits per second (Gbs).
Current fibre broadband typically has maximum consumer speeds of around 1Gbs, while 5G mobile services in Ireland typically top out at around 0.5Gbs close to towers and masts.
Samsung has also begun planning for 6G, saying that while commercialisation in unlikely to happen until 2028, a 6G industry ‘standard’ will come sooner.
“While 5G commercialisation is still in its initial stage, it’s never too early to start preparing for 6G because it typically takes around 10 years from the start of research to commercialisation of a new generation of communications technology,” said Sunghyun Choi, head of Samsung’s Advanced Communications Research Centre.
“We’ve already launched the research and development of 6G technologies by building upon the experience and ability we have accumulated from working on multiple generations of communications technology, including 5G.”
Samsung says that both humans and machines “will be the main users” of 6G, and that 6G will be characterised
by advanced services such as “truly immersive extended reality”, sometimes referred to as ‘XR’, as well as “high-fidelity mobile holograms” and “digital replica”.
Japanese and South Korean mobile operators such as NTT DoCoMo and Sk Telecom are beginning to plan 6G networks, despite the technology not expected to be ready for proper trialling until at least 2025.
In Ireland, 5G mobile networks launched a year ago with Vodafone and Eir. Last week, Three launched its 5G network. The 5G signals are currently limited to around a third of the population, with both Three and Eir claiming to have between 300 and 400 sites enabled.
Apple is expected to announce a 5G-compatible iPhone 12 within the next two weeks, an event that is tipped to breathe new life into potential 5G applications.
There has not yet been any ‘killer feature’ that takes advantage of 5G’s faster speeds and lower latency.
Apple believes that augmented reality apps, games and services might lean on 5G, while others have pointed to self-driving cars in future as potential beneficiaries of 5G instant connections.
5G has also been a source of tension in recent months, with conspiracy theorists attempting to link it to health scares and Covid-19. During the summer, Three’s Ireland and UK chief executive, Robert Finnegan, wrote to Government officials seeking more action to counter anti-5G propaganda.
There are currently around 15 5G smartphones available in the Irish market. Most, such as Samsung’s S20 5G or Huawei’s P40 Pro 5G, are flagship or high-end models.
A number of mid-tier models that cost between €500 and €700, such as Google’s Pixel 4a 5G, Nokia’s 8.3 and One Plus’s Nord, also come with 5G capability on board.
Planning for 6G networks in Japan & South Korea has already begun