What do we know about 6G & What’s next?

September 2023: Asia and Europe gearing up for 6G technology

As the 5G era matures, the global community is setting its sights on the next horizon – the 6G future. An era of deeper connectivity, amplified performance, and radical innovations is predicted, with countries and businesses globally competing for leadership. Countries in Asia such as China and South Korea are leading the way in 6G R&D. However, countries in Europe are rapidly mobilizing resources, research, and industry collaborations to pave the way for 6G.

South Korea's Ambitious Plans for 6G

The Korean government has signaled its intent to be a 6G leader by announcing a project to develop the future of 6G technology by 2024. As reported by RCR Wireless News, this initiative is more than just a declaration of intent; it represents South Korea's strategic positioning in the global telecom space.

Korea’s track record is strong. With its early adoption and comprehensive rollout of 5G, the country showcased its capability in not just adopting, but in defining the contours of next-gen tech. The 2024 6G project aims to build on this legacy, envisioning a future that offers enhanced user experience, greater efficiency, and a fusion of digital, physical, and biological realms. By throwing the weight of its technology giants, research institutions, and substantial government funding behind this initiative, South Korea aims to shape the 6G narrative.

HFR's Role in 6G Standardization

While South Korea is focusing on an integrated approach to 6G development, companies like HFR are vying for a key role in the standardization of 6G technologies. As highlighted by Yahoo Finance UK, HFR is striving to lead the 6G global standardization efforts. Standardization is crucial to ensuring interoperability, security, and a common ground upon which businesses can innovate.

HFR, with its deep technological expertise, envisions a future where 6G offers seamless connectivity, leveraging artificial intelligence to anticipate and meet user demands intuitively. Through its leadership role in global 6G forums, HFR is fostering collaborative synergies, sharing best practices, and shaping a framework that will define 6G's global trajectory.

Can Europe Lead in 6G?

Europe, with its rich legacy in scientific research, innovation, and technological breakthroughs, is making assertive moves in the 6G arena. As highlighted by ScienceBusiness, there is a burgeoning sentiment that Europe can not only compete but lead the development of 6G.

But it’s not just about national or regional pride. 6G is seen as pivotal for Europe's digital sovereignty. With vast investments in research and development, Europe aims to develop 6G technologies that resonate with its values and vision for a digital future. The focus isn't merely on speed or connectivity; it’s about crafting a tech ecosystem that reflects European principles of privacy, security, and inclusivity.

To this end, Europe is actively fostering academia-industry partnerships, pushing for research, and setting up infrastructural facilities to test and validate 6G innovations. It's a holistic approach, and Europe seems poised to leverage its diverse talent pool, robust institutions, and a history of pioneering innovations.

The race for 6G leadership is intensifying, with countries in Asia and Europe vying for the lead. As South Korea pools national resources and expertise, and as companies like HFR push for global standardization, Europe aims to craft a 6G narrative that reflects its unique strengths and values. It's a thrilling chapter in the annals of technological evolution, and the world watches keenly as these giants shape our connected future.

August 2022: What do we know about 6G & What’s next?

Even though 6G is in the very early stages of R&D, there is more and more activity going into the consideration of exactly 6G’s potential. As Huawei stated in a previous article: ‘6G: The next horizon’ “6G is the next-generation advanced mobile communications system, but it will go far beyond communications. 6G will serve as a distributed neural network that provides communication links to fuse the physical, cyber, and biological worlds, truly ushering in an era in which everything will be sensed, connected, and intelligent.” This article goes on to describe the six pillars of 6G: Native AI, Networked Sensing, Integrated NTN, Extreme Connectivity, Trustworthiness and Sustainability.

Current 6G projects around the world

In this article, we’ll conduct a brief review of what various telecommunications and Governments are doing to progress this new technology. Back in 2019, both Huawei and Samsung opened a research centre dedicated to initial work on 6G, with the former sending a 6G test satellite into orbit in November 202 and the latter beginning testing on 6G communication technologies a year later. Fast forward to today and we’re beginning to see calls for further research as well as calls for standards to be set. For example, the Korea Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) will soon hold a workshop to discuss 5G-Advancement and 6G standardization. Similarly, as reported by Light Reading, “ATIS's Next G Alliance and the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA) announced they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to exchange information regarding their work programs in areas of mutual interest in the field of 6G communication systems and networks. The MoU also covers collaboration on joint activities, including workshops, seminars, webinars and trials on 6G-related topics.”

Chinese Telecommunications providers such as Huawei and China Mobile appear to be at the forefront of 6G with the latter applying for 400 6G patents and the former expecting 6G technology to hit the market around 2030.

David Taylor, Managing Director at First Point Group, commented “The beauty of our industry is that it keeps evolving. As a company, we have been involved in the rollout of everything from 2G to 5G and we look forward to seeing the demand for new skill sets and opportunities emerge over the coming years.”

Currently, we’re not seeing a demand for technical jobs in 6G due to its very early stages, but from understanding our client's goal and expectations, we expect engineering jobs in 6G to become more prevalent in the latter part of this decade. We’re keeping a close eye on how 6G develops and are excited to see where this goes.