Even the most ambitious projections estimate that 6G networks won’t be rolled out for another five years. Operators are still ramping up their 5G initiatives, and yet, telecom industry players know that this is exactly the time to think ahead to the next standard. Governments around the world already are, as is the EU, which has already begun the second phase of its 6G research and innovation program. Industry players, such as Nokia, DOCOMO and NTT, are working together on the technology, and academic institutions are also ramping up their focus on 6G.
This preparation for the next G needs to run alongside existing efforts to operationalize and commercialize 5G. To play a competitive part in the global connectivity landscape for the next decade or more, telecom industry players know they need to begin aligning their networking capabilities to hit the ground running when 6G does arrive, most likely in or around 2030.
