China aims to commercialize 6G technology by 2030

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What is 6G and why is China ahead?

6G is the next generation of wireless communication technology, which promises to deliver faster speeds, lower latency, higher bandwidth, and more reliable connections than 5G. 6G also aims to enable new applications such as holographic communication, brain-computer interfaces, and internet of everything.

China is one of the pioneers in 6G research and development, having launched a satellite containing experimental 6G technologies into orbit in November 2020. The Tianyan-5 Satellite, sent up with 13 other satellites, will test terahertz (THz) communications in space, which is a key technology for 6G. THz waves have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths than microwaves, which can potentially carry more data and penetrate through obstacles.

What are China's plans for 6G commercialization?

According to a report by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China will strive to realize the commercialization of 6G technology by 2030, and it is expected that standard-setting for the technology will be achieved around 2025. China began 6G technological experiments last year and has been carrying out research on 6G system architecture and technical solutions this year.

China also plans to launch more high-orbit satellites to build a global satellite internet network that could challenge SpaceX's Starlink. The Chinese network is expected to serve industries ranging from aviation and navigation to emergency services and energy and requires far fewer satellites compared to Elon Musk's low-orbit constellation.

What are the challenges and opportunities for 6G?

Despite the promising prospects of 6G, there are also many challenges and uncertainties facing its development. For instance, the high cost and complexity of deploying and maintaining a large number of satellites, the lack of international standards and regulations for spectrum allocation and data security, the potential health and environmental impacts of high-frequency radiation, and the ethical and social implications of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

However, there are also many opportunities for innovation and collaboration in the field of 6G. For example, the United Nations has proposed a global initiative called Giga, which aims to connect every school to the internet by 2030 using satellite technology. Moreover, many countries and regions such as the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Australia have also launched their own 6G research programs and expressed their willingness to cooperate with China on 6G development.