Leading the technology revolution to 6G
What is 6G?
6G will be a transformative force in mobile communications, offering significant enhancements over 5G and generations before it. The 6G technology standard is expected to be finalized and ready for commercial adoption starting in 2029/2030 yet work to establish its technical foundation has been underway for some time.
6G will be more than just a new radio design – it is envisioned to integrate advanced capabilities including AI, sensing, digital twinning, and a variety of new system features enabling higher levels of efficiency and performance. 6G will be the innovation platform for an expansive intelligent edge in the decades to come. To learn more, explore our vision for the next-generation wireless system.
Designing 6G
Our Early 6G Vision
What new use cases will 6G bring?
6G will enable new classes of devices, services, and deployments. Enabling intelligent computing everywhere, 6G will expand fixed and mobile broadband networks towards pervasive access, spatial perception, and real-time control, bringing a wide range of new use cases such as hologram telepresence, collaborative robots, human augmentation, and deeper immersion to the digital and virtual worlds.
How we get to 6G?
The journey to 6G is filled with opportunities to solve complex technical and user challenges. At Qualcomm, we are excited to lead this journey, developing essential technologies that will lay the groundwork for a more connected and intelligent future. Learn more about our work on 6G architecture.
Like generations before it, 6G will be based on a global standard that is being developed by 3GPP. 6G’s standardization effort includes a Study Item phase in 3GPP Release 20 and a Work Item phase in Release 21. We expect to complete the first 6G standards in 2029/2030.
Spectrum is the lifeblood of wireless communications, and the global mobile ecosystem and regulators are working together to identify potential spectrum bands for 6G. This is being done at the country and regional level but also on a global scale, as spectrum harmonization brings immense benefits.
To learn more, check out the latest update from WRC-23.
What are the enabling technologies for 6G?
Investing in the future of cellular
At Qualcomm, we have been working on advanced wireless research for the past four decades. While we strongly believe in technology innovations coming in continuous streams, the 10-year cellular cycle presents unique opportunities for the entire industry to align investments to bring forward transformational upgrades to the mainstream.
Beyond 5G: 6G research
We began advancing our research towards 6G many years ago. This work, we call it the “6G Foundry”, covers essential innovation areas across the entire wireless system. This includes key areas of our 6G research in air interface design, scalable network architecture, AI-native system design, and a wide range of technologies that can enable the merging of the physical, digital, and virtual worlds.
AI-Native Networks and Devices
From its inception, 6G is envisioned to leverage AI in every aspect of its system design, from network planning and operation optimization to spectrum management and device experience.
Advanced Spectrum Utilization
To meet growing demand, 6G is expected to support new spectrum (e.g., upper mid-band in 7-16 GHz and sub-terahertz in 100+ GHz). Spectrum sharing will also play an important role to enable new efficiencies.
Next-generation Air Interface
6G presents an opportunity to introduce a new and more capable air interface. This includes next-gen waveforms, multiple access and channel coding, as well as major advancements in MIMO, duplexing design and more.
Scalable Network Architecture
6G aims to introduce a more flexible network architecture. This includes advancements in network disaggregation and the use of cloud-native technologies, as well as a thin control plane design for reduced system complexity.
Integrated Sensing and Communications
This revolutionary aspect of the 6G system can enable the detection of objects, motions, and even gestures without requiring active electronics on the target. It opens doors to a wide range of new use cases across verticals.
Digital Twin Network
By creating virtual replicas of the physical network, the digital twin can be used to optimize performance (i.e., coverage, capacity) of the network as well as to synthesize data for wireless AI model training.
Sustainable System Design
6G is being engineered to minimize the environmental footprint of wireless networks. This also leads to a reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) and fosters a greener, seamlessly connected world.
Seamless Satellite Integration
From day 1, 6G is expected to integrate terrestrial network (TN) and non-terrestrial network (NTN), establishing a robust, unified wireless infrastructure that ensures seamless connectivity across various environments.
Resilient Communication
6G will include the development of new technologies to ensure more reliable connections across a wider range of scenarios, including enhanced mobility and interference management.
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