Feature: Communications
Figure 1: From research and standardisation to release and rollout, the cellular technology evolution cycle is roughly ten years
promises. As progress in the broader rollout continues, is it the right time to talk about 6G?
6G – the next generation wireless communication
By Charles Schroeder, Business and Technology Fellow, National Instruments
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G is at the stage where academic and business thought leaders are laying out possibilities, thinking big and imagining the future in ten to twenty years’ time. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the thrill of defi ning the next-generation cellular communication protocol and pushing the
boundaries of what was ever thought possible, particularly with modern, futuristic applications like Tactile Internet – ultra-low latency, high-availability, reliable and secure IoT for real-time remote activity with audio, visual and haptic feedback. However, our industry is still waiting for 5G to deliver on its
24 September 2021
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
Evolution of cellular technologies Since the fi rst cellular phone call back in 1973 using fi rst-generation technology, now known as 1G, our industry has experienced major technological advances roughly every ten years (Figure 1). Looking back at how 5G came to be, the T ird Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) began working on 5G standardisation in 2015, but critical research by leading groups like NYU Wireless and METIS had already begun three years earlier. 3GPP Release-15 marked the completion of Phase 1 of the 5G New
Radio (NR) standard back in 2018, and was quickly followed by fi eld trials in 2019, with real-life deployments ramping up in 2020. T is ten-year pattern appears to be holding, with early 6G research taking place in anticipation of a 2025 start date for standardisation, with deployment by 2030. Although the fi rst 6G consumer devices may still be far away, researchers are already experimenting and developing an understanding of key technologies to underpin the standardisation work.
What can 6G do for us? T e Network 2030 Focus Group of the International Telecommunications Union has started work on a vision for 6G, much in the way the ITU set targets for 5G in the IMT-2020 standard. T roughput, reliability, coverage, latency, energy, cost and massive connectivity were grouped into three 5G applications for a wide range of industries. T ese groups are enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC) and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC). Building on these vectors, 6G is expected to enable new uses
and business models whilst driving advancements in existing applications. Holographic-type communications for completely interactive 3D experiences and Tactile Internet are among them. T ese examples show the importance of sensing in 6G: it is the foundation for all physical interaction and emulation, and its potential extends to digital health, autonomous vehicles and more.
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