A consortium of Japanese tech companies has unveiled a high-speed 6G prototype device. The wireless 6G device is capable of ultra-high 100 Gbps transmission in the 100 GHz and 300 GHz bands at distances of up up 100 meters. This is approximately 20 times faster than current 5G networks.
As 5G adoption increases across the continent, the industry is already working on the next generation of cellular technology.
The consortium consists of DOCOMO, NTT Corporation, NEC Corporation, and Fujitsu Limited. The device which has been in development since 2021 has been in “anticipation of the coming 6G era.”
As technology advancements continue, there’s a growing need for more compute and connectivity. 6G connectivity promises high-capacity wireless communication, ultra-HD video streaming, and lower latency. In addition, it should also keep up with the increasing communication demands for AI and IoT systems. This will help in applications such as real-time control in autonomous vehicles.
The prototype demo reveals impressive speeds, however, 6G is still in its early development. A lot of work remains before it can become mainstream. According to researchers, this connectivity may be commercially available by 2030. But before then, optimized hardware will need to be developed to support the higher band frequencies. This includes new cell towers and built-in 6G phone antennas.
In addition, we might not necessarily get the same speeds due to technical limitations. As seen with 5G networks, the maximum theoretical speeds might differ from the actual speeds experienced. This is mainly due to the higher frequencies used by 5G that affect both the signal distance traveled and penetration strength. These challenges need to be addressed before 6G becomes mainstream.
Before we can get 6G devices – might be a while – take a look at some of the best 5G devices available in Kenya.
