China becomes the first country in the world to launch a satellite to test 6G technology

While some parts of the world are enjoying the benefits of 5G connectivity, China is wasting no time in developing the next generation of mobile technology, 6G. Expected to be much faster than 5G, 6G will support applications that go beyond current mobile usage scenarios, including instant communications, ubiquitous artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (IoT). 6G networks will likely operate on higher radio frequency spectrum, offering more bandwidth and microsecond latency.

6G network technology currently has no clear definition and has not been approved by international organizations to become official mobile technology. However, many countries and organizations around the world have planned to invest, research and develop this new technology.

How is China promoting 6G research and development?

The satellite launch marks a new step in the carrier's efforts to explore integrated ground-space communications technology, the report said.

This low-Earth orbit (LEO) test satellite features a distributed autonomous architecture for 6G, jointly developed by China Mobile and the Small Satellite Research Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The system uses domestic software and hardware, supports on-orbit software restructuring, flexible deployment of core network functions and automatic management, and improves the efficiency and reliability of on-orbit satellite core network operations.

The report also noted that the satellites were placed at an orbital altitude of about 500 km. These experimental satellites have the advantage of low latency and higher data transmission speeds compared to satellites in high-altitude orbits.

China Mobile also said it plans to conduct orbital experiments based on these experimental satellites, aiming to promote the integration and development of the space-ground technology industry.

In a recent sharing, Mr. Wang Zhiqiang - head of China's 6G promotion team and Vice President of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology said that China aims to commercialize 6G technology by 2030 and is expected to complete the standardization of this technology around 2025.

Mr. Wang noted that China began testing 6G technology in 2022 and has conducted research on 6G system architecture and technical solutions in 2023.

According to Mr. Vuong, research related to 6G has opened up new application scenarios, including combining communications and sensitivity; combining communications with artificial intelligence and large-scale Internet of Things (IoT) based on the integration of satellites and terrestrial mobile communications.

In addition, according to Mr. Zhang Yunming, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT), the country needs to foster a 6G application ecosystem as soon as possible, to accelerate the integrated development of next-generation wireless technology after 5G and new technologies such as mixed reality (XR) and robots, to lay a solid foundation for 6G applications.

Previously, in June 2023, MIIT announced that the Chinese government had allocated the 6 GHz spectrum for 5G and 6G services. MIIT said that the 6 GHz spectrum is the only high-quality resource with wide bandwidth in the mid-band, noting that the 6 GHz spectrum is particularly suitable for the deployment of future 5G or 6G systems.

To research and develop 6G, China has put forward specific roadmaps and encouraged its leading mobile carriers and technology companies to participate in the implementation. Accordingly, in May 2020, telecommunications equipment supplier ZTE Corporation and mobile operator China Unicom signed a strategic cooperation agreement on 6G. Accordingly, ZTE and China Unicom will cooperate on 6G technology and standard innovation and actively promote the in-depth integration of 6G with satellite networks, IoT, Internet of Vehicles (IoV) and Industrial Internet (IIoT).

China's leading telecommunications equipment supplier Huawei has also embarked on 6G research and is studying the basic theories of 6G, including research on new air interface technologies, new network architectures, and possible technologies that can be used in 6G networks. Huawei is working to build consensus on 6G by collaborating with other companies in the telecommunications industry.

Potential use cases of 6G

Digital twins:6G enables the creation of virtual replicas of physical objects, systems or processes using sensor data, AI and edge computing.

Collaborative Robots (Cobots) and Robot Navigation:Collaborative robots are robots designed to work safely and efficiently alongside humans in shared work environments. Cobots are often used for simple, repetitive tasks such as product assembly, moving light materials, quality inspection, etc.

Collaboration between robots and humans increases productivity, improves product quality, and frees humans from dangerous, boring jobs.

Meanwhile, robot navigation is the fundamental technique that enables cobots to move safely and efficiently in co-working environments with humans.

E-health for all:is a goal towards providing health care services through information and communication technologies (ICT) to all people, regardless of geographical location, income or education level. It includes various activities such as telemedicine, remote health monitoring, electronic health records and online medicine delivery, etc.

E-health for all can help people in remote or hard-to-reach areas get the care they need, reduce health care costs, and improve health care delivery.

Precision health care:is a highly personalized approach to health care that focuses on the unique needs and characteristics of each individual. This differs from the traditional approach that focuses on general treatments for many people.

6G networks will support advanced healthcare scenarios such as implanting electronic devices in the body, remote surgery, etc. In addition, precision healthcare helps improve treatment effectiveness, reduce side effects, prevent diseases and improve quality of life.

Smart agriculture(Smart agriculture):6G will enable sustainable and data-driven farming practices, using sensors, drones and digital twins everywhere.

Earth Monitoringby 6G: is a method of leveraging advanced 6G mobile networks to monitor global environmental conditions in a detailed and efficient manner. Enhancing environmental sustainability and conservation, this network will enable global sensor distribution to monitor environmental indicators and support climate action.

Multisensory augmented reality:Multisensory Extended Reality (XR) is a type of technology that aims to create immersive experiences that stimulate multiple senses beyond sight and hearing. While traditional virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) focus primarily on sight and sound, multisensory XR attempts to incorporate other senses such as touch, smell, and even taste.

While multisensory XR is still in its early stages of development, it has the potential to create truly transformative experiences that blur the lines between the real and virtual worlds.

Personalized user experience:In the future world of 6G networks, personalized user experiences promise to be a huge leap forward from what we have today. This means that digital services will be tailored, customized, and targeted to each individual based on their needs, preferences, behaviors, and even emotions.

For businesses, personalized user experience applications aim to deliver personalized and contextual services and content to users, based on their preferences, needs, and emotions.

The personalized user experience provided by 6G promises a future where technology intelligently and precisely responds to individual needs. However, challenges related to privacy and discrimination must be addressed to ensure that this technology is used responsibly and equitably.

6G is expected to enable innovative, futuristic use cases that will transform the way people live and work in remarkable ways. 6G mobile networks could also open up new opportunities and challenges in areas such as healthcare, smart grids, transportation, and Industry 4.0.

Although there is currently no specific timeline for 6G deployment, technology and network experts predict that the technology will be developed and launched by the end of this decade.