In a groundbreaking development, engineers from the Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications have successfully established a field test network for 6G transmission utilizing existing 4G infrastructure, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of telecommunications. The achievement was highlighted in a report by Xinhua news agency, following a conference held in the Chinese capital.
The experimental 6G network leverages a pioneering technique known as semantic communication, which has reportedly resulted in a tenfold enhancement in vital communication metrics such as capacity, coverage, and efficiency. The innovation is being hailed as a “world first,” as it demonstrates the potential of combining current 4G systems with emerging 6G technologies. This breakthrough could play a crucial role in accelerating the development and validation of key 6G technologies, making it easier to establish the necessary infrastructure for future 6G networks.
Professor Zhang Ping, the leader of the research team, emphasized the transformative potential of this new approach. According to Zhang, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will significantly improve the perception and semantic understanding of communication, paving the way for broader applications of 6G technology. “AI will improve the perception and semantic understanding of communication, while the ubiquitous communication of 6G will extend the reach of artificial intelligence across various fields,” he stated during the conference.
The commercial availability of 6G services is anticipated to arrive by 2030, with global efforts underway to finalize the 6G standards by the end of this decade. As 6G networks are expected to operate on higher frequencies than current 5G networks, they promise to deliver not only greater capacity but also significantly reduced latency, enabling faster and more efficient communication across various sectors.
The race to develop 6G technology is heating up globally, with several countries pushing to take the lead in this next-generation communication revolution. China, with its recent accomplishment, plans to launch its first 6G services by 2030, with the establishment of standards for the technology expected to be finalized as early as next year. In Japan, efforts to advance 6G are also underway, with major companies like NTT Docomo and Sony collaborating on developing key technologies. Japan aims to have key 6G technologies in place by 2025, with commercial “beyond 5G” services expected by 2030.
Meanwhile, the United States, in collaboration with nine other countries, has outlined six guiding principles for the development of 6G wireless networks. These principles focus on ensuring national security, promoting efficient spectrum use, and safeguarding privacy protection. The U.S. and its allies are working to ensure that the rollout of 6G technology will be both secure and efficient, with an emphasis on maintaining public trust in the new systems.
As the global competition intensifies, China’s latest achievement places it in a strong position to lead the 6G race, with its successful integration of 4G infrastructure and the application of semantic communication technology. The test network not only showcases the potential of 6G but also demonstrates how existing technologies can be repurposed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation networks. This development is expected to drive further innovation in the telecommunications industry, paving the way for faster, more reliable communication systems that could transform industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing.
With this breakthrough, China is setting the stage for the future of telecommunications, and other countries and organizations will likely follow suit in testing and developing their own 6G capabilities as the world moves toward this new era of connectivity.
