While 5G is just starting to make its appearance, the next step is already in full development: 6G. What can we expect from this new generation? Faster internet, of course, but also much more than that.
Today, 5G primarily brings consumers much faster mobile internet, up to 10 Gbps compared to 100 Mbps in the past. In an ideal world, where they actually achieve that speed, they can download a movie in just a few seconds.
6G goes a step further. It combines speed with intelligence, energy efficiency, and a network capacity designed for a fully connected digital world.
What Does 6g Bring to the Table?
In terms of speed, the ambition is high: 6G aims for data speeds up to 200 Gbps. Latency could drop to below a millisecond, and there would be support for 100 million devices per square kilometer. These specifications are described in a report by ITU-R from 2023. Let’s delve deeper into this.
Speed is not the most important improvement; 6G is primarily becoming smarter. Instead of just transmitting data, the network can also interpret, optimize, and anticipate data. AI is built into the network itself, and sensors are meant to create unprecedented network detection. Sensors create a digital twin of our physical world so that the network can better perceive and control. This enables self-healing, optimization, and more efficient communication between devices.
Self-driving cars, holograms, immersive VR, and advanced IoT devices: they’re all on the 6G wish list. That’s why the network will use terahertz frequencies (above 100 GHz) to transmit more data.
Unfortunately, this is still future music for now. The technology is still in full development. European projects like Hexa-X-II are laying the foundation for new standards, and major players like Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung and research institutes such as IMEC are building prototypes. The expectation is that by 2028 the first specifications will be completed, and around 2030 the first commercial networks would appear.
And in Belgium?
In Belgium, we are currently still busy with the broad rollout of 5G. Providers such as Proximus, Orange Belgium, and Telenet/Base are therefore still fully investing in their existing networks. Although there is no official communication about 6G from Belgian telecom operators yet, it’s likely that they are closely following global developments and may already be conducting their own research.
For now, 6G is still future music, but it’s a piece that’s already being composed.
How quickly the 6G launch will proceed depends on international standardization, frequency auctions, and the speed at which companies invest in the new technology. In practice, 6G will first appear in sectors such as healthcare, mobility, and production. Only then will the technology trickle down to smartphones, laptops, and smart glasses for consumers. Consumers will undoubtedly have to wait a while longer, probably until after 2030.