On March 9, the Shanghai Stock Exchange held a future industry salon themed “6G: The Digital Infrastructure Connecting Space, Air, Ground and Sea”.
Global 6G Standards to Unify, Commercial Use on the Horizon
At the salon, Sun Shaohui, Chief Scientist of CICT Mobile, stated that the world has basically formed a development path toward unified global 6G standards. The ITU is expected to release 6G standards in 2030, and 6G is projected to be commercially deployed around the same year. In addition, several attendees expressed hope that the capital market will increase support for core tech enterprises in the 6G sector, improve the valuation and pricing system, and encourage more patient capital to back the development of the 6G industry.
Beyond 5G, Empowering All Industries
6G refers to the sixth-generation mobile communication technology. From voice calls in 1G, text messages in 2G, mobile internet in 3G, live streaming and short videos in 4G, to smart factories and autonomous vehicles enabled by 5G, communication technology is moving beyond smartphones and integrating into all industries. It is known that mobile communications rely on electromagnetic waves to transmit information: the wider the bandwidth, the faster the network speed. 6G adopts higher frequency bands such as millimeter waves and even terahertz waves, delivering bandwidth more than 10 times that of 5G. Moreover, 6G base stations and signals are not only for communication but also feature radar detection and imaging capabilities. Terahertz waves used in 6G have high frequencies and short wavelengths, acting like a more precise ruler that can not only determine direction but also measure distance accurately. Meanwhile, 6G base stations are equipped with on-site AI computing power, enabling independent “thinking” and the timely delivery of personalized, intelligent services. This will drive the digital and intelligent transformation of various industries. Base stations can also self-diagnose faults, self-repair and self-optimize.
Phase-1 Trials Completed, Technology Reserve Accumulated
At present, China has completed all Phase1 technical trials of 6G, accumulating more than 300 key technologies. According to the plan, China will focus on 6G standard development and trial network construction, so that 6G will truly enter daily life in the near future.
