Samsung believes commercial 6G networks could be in operation as early as 2028, delivering speeds of 1Tbps and latency of less than 100 microseconds – making it 50 times faster than 5G with just a tenth of the latency.
The immediate focus in the mobile industry is the rollout of 5G technology but the race to be the leader in the even more nascent field of 6G has already begun. China has already started its research and development activities, while the €251 million 6Genesis programme is already well underway in Northern Finland. The US also has 6G ambitions.
Samsung is a minor, but growing, player in telecoms equipment and hopes demand for 5G kit will see its share of the market rise even further. By the time 6G arrives, it could be an even major competitor to the likes of Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia.
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Samsung 6G
To support these efforts, Samsung has expanded its telecommunication research team and formed a new group called the Advanced Communications Research Center in the Korean capital of Seoul.
Its new whitepaper, The Next Hyper-Connected Experience for All, outlines the technical and societal trends that could have an impact on the development of the 6G standards.
It hypothesises that the 6G will enable advanced services such as truly immersive extended reality (XR), high-fidelity mobile hologram and digital twins. Central to this applications will the ability of 6G to compensate for current constraints – such as the limited processing capability of mobile devices – and the integration of intelligence into the network.
The publication also suggests candidate technologies that could form 6G. This includes terahertz (THz) spectrum, new antenna technology and optimal network architecture. Samsung suggests that the standard could be finalised in 2028, paving the way for the first networks, with mass commercialisation occurring in 2030.
“While 5G commercialization 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 commercialization of a new generation of communications technology,” explained Sunghyun Choi, Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center.
“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. Going forward, we are committed to leading the standardization of 6G in collaboration with various stakeholders across industry, academia and government fields.”
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