China First To Start 6G Technology Research: What We Can Expect

China is aiming to pioneer research and development on the 6G mobile technology, despite 5G being in the earliest stages of its initial release.

The Ministry of Science and Technology of China has made official its intentions to conduct the earliest attempt of research of the 6G technology, a recent report by CNBC News said. They have not disclosed any numbers with regards to speed and efficiency that users can expect with this new protocol of mobile network technology, but it will naturally aim to surpass the current 5G technology.

China’s research on this technology will be divided into two groups, the report said. One will be comprised of people responsible for the methodology in conducting the research and the processes that go with it. The second group would be a combination of 37 different universities, research institutes and enterprises, who will all be responsible for the technical aspects of the project and in conducting the research itself.

China, ahead of other countries, recently activated its 5G network nationwide. The rest of the world, however, will only roll out the network starting from the early part of 2020. This makes China one of the first in experiencing 5G and the first in doing research for the next generation of it. South Korea is the other only country to have an early nationwide release of 5G.

The current 5G network boasts of a huge upgrade from the 4G network that most people are still using today. This new generation can deliver data will less than a millisecond of delay, and offer a maximum download speed of up to 20 gigabits per second. In comparison, 4G can deliver transfers with an average of 70 ms ping, and peak download speeds of only up to 1 gigabit per second.

Imagine how much speed and efficiency 6G can offer once it becomes a reality.

5G is also expected to bring in new technology to support autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things, among others. So far, major companies such as Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, LG, and OnePlus have announced the first release of their respective mobile devices that will be supporting 5G connectivity.

China's Huawei is among the world leaders in 5G technology and U.S. President Donald Trump has tried to lock it out the development of 5G networks in the West, citing the company's ties to Chinese military as a security worry.

But the news on 6G development shows China is already looking further ahead and aiming to leave the U.S. and the West behind with 6G technology.