Prime Highlights

• China initiated the world’s initial field trial network for 6G communications, a step toward next-generation wireless technologies.
• The technology deploys AI and semantic communication over commercial 4G infrastructure, with impressive performance gains.

Key Facts

• The Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications spearheads the field test.
• The field test increases the capacity, coverage, and efficiency of communications by ten times.
• Commercial use of 6G is planned around 2030, standardization by 2025.

Key Background

China has made a giant stride in wireless technology by becoming the first to roll out the world’s first 6G field test network for communication. Created in partnership with Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and other institutions, the network is a significant milestone in pushing global telecommunications forward. What is so intriguing about this attempt is that it uses current 4G infrastructure to test the potential of 6G—a visionary step meant to speed up the development of 6G without increasing the cost of deployment.

The breakthrough is using “semantic communication,” the concept whereby machines decode meaning behind data that is being communicated and not the data itself. This essentially redefines information encoding and decoding and, as such, has the potential to decrease the volume of data transmitted while enhancing the precision and pertinence of communication. Because of this, the test network was able to show a tenfold increase in performance, including the ability to communicate, cover, and do so at an efficient rate.

Artificial intelligence is also a part of the test network. AI algorithms control network resources to make more intelligent decisions in interpreting data, enabling end-to-end learning and system optimization. The whole communication process is quicker, trustworthy, and responsive, and hence more desirable for future applications such as autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and industrial automation.

The test network is not just an experiment but also a pillar for the subsequent research and development. It provides an opportunity for the academic community, government departments, and private companies to be involved in real-world experiments of next-generation communication technology. This common platform greatly reduces the entry barrier for 6G research, which might make the entire ecosystem available for commercialization earlier.

China intends to establish official 6G standards in 2025, ahead of the rest of the world and still at the forefront. With commercial deployment expected in 2030, the nation is already moving towards becoming the leader of the global 6G race.