Forget 5G — what is 6G and 7G connectivity?

PHILADELPHIA — While 5G networks are still rolling out across the world, some people are already looking further. Telecom companies have started developing the next generation of mobile connectivity, sparking talk of 6G and even 7G networks.

By the end of 2020, there were only 217 million 5G subscriptions worldwide, according to a study from Ericsson. Still, innovators and eager consumers have set their eyes on 6G and beyond. While these networks may still be years away, they'll likely have significant implications for technologies such as self-driving vehicles.

What is 6G? The short answer is that it's the next generation of mobile networks, just as 5G succeeded 4G, and 7G will likewise come after 6G. Just as 5G offers higher speeds and lower latency than 4G, 6G promises improvements over 5G.

What those improvements look like is less certain. Samsung has demonstrated the possibilities. In June, it said researchers achieved speeds 50 times faster than current 5G — 5.23 gigabits per second. With further development, 6G could provide even faster speeds in some areas.

6G networks likely will work differently than 5G. As the illustration on this page suggests, 6G could use reflected short-range signals to dissipate to nearby connected devices. This would support more devices in an area than 5G's more-direct signals, with lower latency, too.

5G has opened new possibilities, especially in industrial settings. Investing in Industry 4.0 technology is a high priority for automotive companies, mostly to enable higher levels of automation. 6G and 7G networks could take these applications to new heights.

6G and 7G could further unlock the potential of innovations such as edge computing, crucial for autonomous vehicles, and improve manufacturing. 5G connectivity has enabled Audi to deploy robots with instant reactions, improving safety and flexibility. With new networks, these robots could also communicate with each other in real time.

Other potential applications include virtual and augmented reality and human-robot interaction on the factory floor.

6G and 7G networks may also feature self-healing capabilities. Their more-distributed nature could enable them to automatically fix disruptions, ensuring more reliable connectivity. Technologies such as self-driving vehicles and autonomous factory robots would benefit from this increased uptime, avoiding potentially dangerous errors.

Samsung believes the earliest 6G applications could arrive by 2028, with mass commercialization by 2030. Similarly, Finland's University of Oulu aims to develop 6G technologies by 2030, collaborating with Japan's Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium.

China launched a 6G satellite into orbit as a test, but its full 6G rollout timeline remains unclear. American companies are also pursuing the technology; Apple hired engineers for 6G projects this year. Like other companies, Apple is eyeing a 2030 rollout.

In late 2020, several telecom companies joined to create the Next G Alliance, a partnership aimed at developing technology for 6G and beyond. The alliance hasn't announced a target date for 6G rollout, but 2030 or earlier seems likely.

The rollout of 7G networks is even less certain. If it follows a similar rate of advancement as 6G, it may arrive around 2040. The law of accelerating returns holds that human progress happens exponentially, though, which could mean 7G arrives sooner.