Experts' take on 6G Technology

MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY

Editor's note: With tech powerhouses drawing their respective blueprints for the development of 6G, R&D in the emerging sector has gathered pace. China is focused on the next-generation internet and intensified research and development in 6G technology to build new types of information infrastructure facilities, and expedite the application of ICT in different sectors. Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily.

Mobile communication has transformed the world in the past four decades, with each decade witnessing the emergence of at least one new generation technology. While 5G technology opened the door to the internet of things, 6G aims to further advance this concept by evolving into a platform for "connected intelligence".

The 6G technology is expected to help mobile communication networks to connect a vast array of smart devices, enabling real-time connectivity between the physical and digital worlds through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Also, it will likely enable people to access and retrieve a wealth of information in real time, and help them enter an intelligent, interconnected world. As such, 6G will usher in the next wave of digitalization.

While 6G is still in the initial stage of development, industrial circles believe it will have a unified network that bridges the virtual and physical spaces, facilitating "connected intelligence". The 6G technology, experts say, will incorporate diverse networks, including cellular, satellite and drone-provided communication to facilitate information collection. In particular, densely distributed small satellites forming an "airborne wireless network", will cover the entire planet. This distinct feature sets 6G apart from previous generations of communication networks.

In terms of network performance indicators, 6G is expected to significantly improve the transmission rates, end-to-end latency, reliability, spectrum and network efficiency and more, thus meeting the diverse network needs of vertical industries.

More important, 6G will incorporate domestic AI technology as far as machine learning in the design of end-to-end mobile communication systems is concerned. It will provide AI services everywhere and all the time, optimizing system performance and user experience. A key disruptive technology of 6G will be the use of radio waves for monitoring the physical world to send and retrieve signals, and enable advanced perception capabilities.

The 6G technology will help boost production, improve people's lifestyle, enhance efficiency, promote innovation in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, and create new opportunities for the digital economy. The technology's potential applications include integrated air, space and ground communication, which will allow users to seamlessly access mobile broadband in cities, rural areas, and even on airplanes and ships. It is thus clear that 6G will help empower industries, integrate various sectors, and create, for instance, smart factories, promote connected vehicles and boost telemedicine.

Moreover, 6G will help meet the requirements of users beyond 5G, which include but are not restricted to, precise motion control and immersive communication in augmented and virtual reality.

The global race for 6G has begun, with experts saying the technology is likely to enter the market around 2030. In 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology established the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, providing a platform for industries, research institutions and operators to deepen cooperation and collaboration in ICT. And the Ministry of Science and Technology, along with other departments, formed the National 6G Technology Research and Development Promotion Working Group and the National 6G Technology Research and Development Expert Group to promote further research in 6G.

Chinese internet companies and equipment manufacturers have been conducting research in 6G based on their respective technological advantages. For example, China Mobile, after proposing the world's first systemic 6G network architecture, achieved breakthroughs in key technologies such as new wireless transmission, new network protocols and digital twin networks.

In fact, China Mobile collaborated with Tsinghua University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and other institutions to develop six sets of technology prototype samples. And major equipment manufacturers such as Huawei and ZTE have intensified research in 6G. For instance, in 2022, Huawei released a white paper on 6G, which is a comprehensive analysis of the potential apps, requirements and supporting technologies for 6G wireless networks.

The 6G technology's requirements and industrial ecosystem are more complex than that of existing high-tech ecosystems, because it uses cloud computing, AI, edge computing and other advanced technologies. So, Chinese companies, universities, and research institutions need to intensify collaboration to boost research.

But since experimentation in key technologies and determining the different application scenarios are critical to achieving breakthroughs in high-tech, it is necessary to establish platforms for collaboration in 6G technology, create more international cooperation opportunities, and jointly explore and validate 6G with partner countries, thereby creating a mutually beneficial, open and cooperative global 6G industrial ecosystem.

The author is director of and a researcher with the Institute of Innovation and Development, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development.

New tech will revolutionize mobile network

Gao Yuan

The Ministry of Science and Technology initiated research in 6G technology way back in 2018, which enabled China to assume a leading global position in 6G technology development. At present, however, the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, established by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2019, is coordinating 6G research and development, and encouraging R&D institutions, companies and operators to participate in the process to fix the global standards for 6G.

Compared with 5G, research and development in 6G put greater emphasis on comprehensive communication network coverage on land, at sea, and in air and space. The 6G technology promotes the use of microwave, millimeter-wave, terahertz, visible light, and core key technologies such as information and communications technology, computing, storage, positioning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to help integrate mobile services and users.

First, in terms of network architecture, 6G is likely to have an integrated terrestrial-aerial-space network architecture, which is recognized as one of the seven key network requirements by the International Telecommunication Union. Such an architecture will build on the foundation of terrestrial cellular mobile networks and combine the characteristics of broadband satellites, unmanned aerial vehicle communications and stratospheric platforms.

The comprehensive coverage of land, sea, and air and space through the integration of various networks will create new opportunities for the global markets, especially the maritime, border defense and unmanned system sectors.

Second, in terms of broadband spectrum fusion and utilization, 6G aims to use a unified network architecture that will accommodate lower frequencies such as shortwave, ultra-shortwave and long wave, as well as higher frequencies like terahertz and optical communications. This will enable 6G to achieve peak data rates of 100 gigabytes per second and support larger-scale user connectivity, laying the foundation for ubiquitous wireless network deployment.

And third, 6G is likely to achieve breakthroughs in system integration. Mobile communication has evolved from the nine systems in the 1G era to a globally unified system in the 5G era, establishing a stable technological system.

In the 6G era, the focus will be on enhancing systems' capabilities, and achieving breakthroughs in areas such as enhanced wireless air interface technologies represented by MIMO (multiple-in-multiple-out technology), full-duplex system, new physical dimension wireless transmission technology represented by intelligent meta-surfaces, orbital angular momentum and intelligent holographic radio technologies, cross-domain integration technology, novel network technology represented by endogenous intelligence in-air interface and network architecture, and key network technology represented by distributed autonomous network architecture.

These advancements will support immersive, intelligent services.

In the global application of the 5G technology, China faced sanctions from the United States, which severely impacted the country's chip and other high-tech equipment sector, and dealt a blow to Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, which are considered global leaders in 5G.In fact, Huawei and ZTE were forced to delist from US stock exchanges, which affected their global business.

But 6G promises to create new, bigger opportunities for China to promote innovations in the economic and social spheres. And by strengthening basic research in 6G, China can retain core high-tech talents and promote cross-industry collaboration. As a matter of fact, intensifying research in 6G's application can help boost economic development in the long run.

By intensifying basic research in 6G, the authorities can lay the foundation for cultivating core talents, and by promoting synergy between industry chains, they can boost research in 6G.

There is a need, though, to establish collaborative mechanisms among the government, industry, academia and research institutions to ensure their joint participation in significant scientific projects. In fact, through the establishment of research centers and formation of industry alliances, the authorities have already started harnessing the strengths of all stakeholders to build a strong talent pool with the aim of enhancing China's international competitiveness in 6G.

Besides, by deepening research in 6G's applications, we can boost China's economic development. And by reinforcing the core technologies that China has mastered, we can consolidate the country's advantages in core technologies.

The optimization of 6G will surely bolster China's global competitiveness, unlike the time when Chinese telecom industries suffered a severe blow while establishing 5G technology networks in Western countries. In the 6G era, however, fostering collaboration among enterprises, research institutions and industries in 6G standards and security will help set globally acceptable 6G standards and ecosystems.

The potential transformation of 6G in the future can be categorized into three parts: integrated and diversified intelligent connectivity, augmented reality applications, and intelligent industry applications. The 6G technology aims to achieve global connectivity on land, at sea, and in air and space, through the use of ground-based cellular networks, satellite networks, drones and intelligent connectivity technologies with ultra-low power consumption and high precision. And the technology's potential areas of application include integrated air-space-land communication as well as underwater communication.

In the field of augmented reality, 6G is expected to evolve from augmented/virtual reality to mixed reality interaction, eventually enabling wireless holographic communication, facilitating immersive cloud XR, sensory integration, and virtual concerts, tourism and online gaming.

The 6G technology will be especially beneficial to vertical industries such as manufacturing, transportation, education and healthcare, giving rise to new business models and services. In this context, 6G can be potentially applied to smart factories, intelligent transportation systems, smart robots, smart cities, digital twins, precision telemedicine, unmanned space exploration and other fields.

Also, 6G will help improve people's lifestyles, boost work efficiency, and provide users with diversified, personalized digital experiences. The development and use of 6G will promote innovations in information and communications technology, foster collaborative research and development in cutting-edge technologies, create new opportunities for multiple sectors, and bolster the development of the digital economy.

The author is an associate professor at the Academy of Military Science of the PLA.

Dual approach to safeguard telecom security

China has decided to build the 6G mobile communication network, following the comprehensive development of the 5G technology network, so as to secure operation of wireless communication.

China may have lagged behind the advanced countries in the development of telecom technology, from 1G to 4G.But it leads the world in 5G. In fact, it has built the world's largest 5G technology network, and leads the world in the field of mobile communication.

Unable to digest China's evident technological advantage in 5G, the United States has imposed sanctions on Chinese companies, such as Huawei, which are world leaders in 5G technology. As such, Huawei, which holds many patents in 5G, is under unprecedented pressure.

The 5G technology has completely changed the telecom security landscape, preventing the US from leveraging its advantages in information and communications technology to pursue global hegemony.

In the past, the US often used its advanced technology to spy on many countries' leaders, businesspeople and other entities, in order to consolidate its dominance in the field of communication. But since it became clear that China has gained a lead in 5G, the US is finding it increasingly difficult to gather intelligence against other countries. In desperation, therefore, Washington launched a smear campaign against China, claiming China's 5G technology and equipment pose a security risk to not only the US but also other countries.

Many focus solely on the speed with which 5G enables information to be disseminated while overlooking its advantage in safeguarding communication security. The 5G networks have not only increased network communication speed and transformed the traditional technological development path but also, and more importantly, provided better safeguards for communication security.

China recognizes the importance of establishing a legal framework to better protect communication security and freedom. That's why it attaches great importance to safeguarding 6G security, and has taken measures to ensure that enterprises involved in 5G's development and application strictly adhere to the law.

China has enacted a series of laws, including the National Security Law, Cybersecurity Law and Personal Information Protection Law, and taken additional measures to boost the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to better tackle cybersecurity issues that may arise due to the advancement of AI. China's objective is to prevent risks and ensure the reliability and safeguard the security of next-generation communication networks.

Hence, China has tightened supervision in the telecom market and taken strict actions against entities that infringe upon consumers' rights and interests and endanger national security.

In fact, China's research and development in 6G has laid a solid foundation for strengthening China's cybersecurity, which will better protect consumers' legitimate rights and interests, and help maintain national security. The development of 6G will help safeguard China's network security, with the country's comprehensive legal system for cybersecurity playing a key role in protecting telecom network security.

China adheres to openness, and encourages all countries to engage in cooperation to safeguard regional and global telecom security. By promoting innovations and overcoming the challenges in the field of cybersecurity, and establishing scientific network technology standards and legal systems, China aims to better safeguard the rights and interests of enterprises and individuals.

The author is a professor of law at the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law.