What Is 6G and What Will It Look Like?

What is 6G?

6G is the sixth generation of wireless technology. A 6G network follows up on 4G and 5G,

using higher frequency bands and agile, cloud-based networking technology to deliver
record-breaking speeds and microsecond latency.

As experts imagine it, 6G isn’t just going to support mobile phones. It could also be used for
technology like automated cars and smart-home networks, helping create a seamless
connectivity between the internet and everyday life.

What will be the benefits of 6G?

The main benefit of 6G is its ability to facilitate

 instantaneous communication in phones,

 computers,
 wearable devices
 , robotics, and more.

That’s the idea, anyway. 6G (as it’s envisioned right now) is going to take a lot of work to
implement. It will require buy in from major stakeholders too, including a public that may be
resistant to radical technological change.

When will 6G be available to consumers?

6G is expected to be available around 2030. That’s the estimate of most experts, considering
that new wireless communication standards emerge about every decade. But nothing is set in
stone—even the term “6G” could come out of favour and eventually be replaced by
something else.

The reason some experts are talking about 6G technology, though, is because big changes are
in the works for internet technology in general. Consumers are using more devices and
consuming internet data at record rates, incorporating Wi-Fi into virtually all aspects of
everyday life. And wireless companies are rushing to compete with traditional, broadband
internet providers, hoping to meet rising demand with robust and flexible cellular networks.

4G vs. 5G vs. 6G—the gradual evolution of wireless technology

Network Speeds Supported devices

4G Approx. 33.88 Mbps Mobile phones, tablets, hotspots

Mobile phones, tablets, hotspots, public infrastructure,

5G 40–1,100 Mbps
automated cars

Automated cars, cellular surfaces, Wi-Fi implants

Up to 1 Tbps (1,000,000
6G
Mbps)
What do experts say about 6G?

The 6G research happening now is still in a very early stage, according to Kaniz Mahdi at
VMware. It will likely be another several years before 5G technologies like milli meter-wave
achieve their full potential. A recently-launched group called the Open Grid Alliance is also
looking to “re-architect” the internet as a whole so it can better support major applications
like control systems for automated cars and factories.

“We are looking to evolve the internet itself,” Mahdi said, noting that VMware is part of the
alliance.

As 6G research continues and the technology develops, there are plenty of other challenges
that await too.“6G is expected to provide the communication infrastructure for billions of
devices. These devices need to be constantly powered, and a majority of them will be battery-
operated,” he said. All of that manufacturing and energy usage poses a potential threat to the
environment—unless there are plans in place to reduce the carbon footprint of 6G
technology.

6G internet FAQ

What does 6G mean?

6G means “sixth generation.” It will be the latest wireless internet and communications
standard, following up on 5G and 4G before it.

What is 6G?
6G is a mostly theoretical concept, representing a set of ideas and theories about how the
mobile network, Wi-Fi devices, connected auto mobiles, and other Wi-Fi–connected things
will look and feel a decade or so from now. It’s the future of wireless internet as academics
and companies imagine it right now.

What will 6G look like?

It’s hard to say what 6G will look like exactly, but it will likely involve an advanced level of
automation and connectivity in cars, drones, mobile devices, homes, and industries. It will
also incorporate technology like artificial intelligence and advanced “edge computing” to
make networks more sophisticated, harnessing record-fast internet speeds and instantaneous
latency to coordinate complex systems like road traffic and stock markets.

What is a 6G base station?

A 6G base station is a wireless communications station used to receive and transmit cellular
signals. Although base stations for 6G aren’t around yet, 4G LTE and 5G networks use cell
towers and “small cells”—small transmitters installed on street corners and utility poles—to
beam internet and cellular data to our phones and other wireless devices.