5G Advanced Expected to be Springboard for Future 6G

Although the majority of us still don’t have access to 5G, work has already begun on a new version, 5G advanced, which is expected to be the path forward to 6G. 

When asked what we should expect from a hypothetical 6G, a Nokia researcher commented that we should expect that “the digital, physical and human world will seamlessly fuse to trigger extrasensory experiences”. But in order to achieve that fusion, researchers have to optimize and improve current telecommunication technologies, notably those currently found in 5G. 

That’s where 5G advanced comes in, now considered as a “stepping stone” or the bridge between 5 and 6G. 5G advanced is supposed to improve three key areas needed for an eventual 6G, UCBC (Uplink Centric Broadband Communications), improving uplinks and making technology like machine vision possible. RTBC (Real-Time Broadband Communications) which is expected to deliver ultrawide band-with and even allow for technology like holographic communications. Finally, there’s HCS (Harmonized Communications and Sensing) which will be used to improve things like connected cars, drones, or even industrial applications.

Even though most people don’t have access to regular 5G yet, deployment is expected to become streamlined across 2022 and beyond. The first 5G advanced launches are expected for 2025, with 6G expected to be operational in 2030. However, like with most cutting-edge technology, the first deployments will most likely be in big cities, such as New York, San Francisco or London.  

With new inventions and trends, such as the Metaverse, 5G advanced and the future 6G are expected to radically change the way we interact with each other on a daily basis. We should expect a further digitalization of our daily habits, whether those be personal or professional. The tech industry is promising a huge jump towards the future with the next version of wireless telecommunication connectivity and with the expected improvements they’re talking about so far, we’re inclined to believe them.