The world of technology is changing more rapidly than ever before and the same case applies to mobile communication. As much of the world continues building up to the 5G networks, the next step is the 6G technology. What then is the difference between 5G and 6G and how are they going to determine the future of communication?
How about we take it down to things that are simple and easy to relate with?
1. Fast transmission and Data Transfer
The difference is by far the most conspicuous in the speed.
5G promises very high speeds which can be up to 10 times faster than 4G, and in the best-case scenario, the download speed can reach an impressive 10 Gbps.
6G will be 100 times faster than 5G and the speed will be up to 1 Tbps (terabit per second). It is so quick that in a few seconds, hundreds of movies can be downloaded.
In a normal life, it will imply that everything: be it a stream of a 16K video or live holographic calls will not come with a delay.
2. Latency and Responsiveness
Latency is the time lag between transmission and reception of data.
The 5G reduced latency by approximately 1 millisecond, allowing smooth calls using video and online games as well as autonomous driving.
The desired level of delay in 6G is the latency of microseconds, near-zero communication.
Think about doing the remote surgery, operating machines remotely (perhaps even being miles away), or have a virtual life-like avatar meeting, and this happens in real time. This is what 6G holds.
3. Connection and Capacity
5G enables connectivity of more devices in parallel than 4G, which 6G is even going to amplify.
Although 5G can enable the usage of up to 1 million IoT devices within one square kilometer,
It is expected that 6G will be capable of supporting up to 10 million devices and thus, it will be suited to smart cities, connected cars and huge IoT (Internet of Things) networks.
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This would be able to provide the whole factories, cities and also the transporting structures to be interconnected and smart.
4. Intelligence and AI Combination
5G just made things quicker and more reliable. However, 6G will be intelligent.
The 6G network will have AI (Artificial Intelligence) entrenched in it that makes the network self-learning and adaptive.
6G will predict traffic surges, avert network-relevant breakdowns and streamline data within moments of consumption.
To give another example, in an emergency such as in an earthquake or a flood, 6G might be able to automatically re-route communications channels and keep them working and possibly coordinate rescue efforts.
5. Applications and Practical application
5G began to work at new speeds smartphones, smart homes, AR/VR, autonomous cars and distance working.
On the other hand, 6G is conceived to enable brain-computer interfaces, immersive virtual worlds (Metaverse 2.0), digital twins of urban spaces, and space-based terrestrial internet.
Basically, 6G will not just unite people it will unite everything: people, machines, and environments get united.
6. Launch Timeline
The implementation of 5G commercially started in about 2019-2020 and is ongoing around the world.
It is planned that 6G will come into existence by 2030, and research and testing is already going on in the US, China, South Korea, and sections of Europe.
Conclusion: A smarter, hyper-connected future
Though 5G is transforming our lives and work-life today, 6G is going to re-calibrate what is possible in the future. It will not be only about faster internet, this will be about the creation of a fully intelligent real-time interconnected world. Smart cities, remote surgeries, immersive holograms, AI-driven communication, or any other solution that cannot be imagined without 6G is not the next step but it is what 6G can make happen: the vision of a new future of how we can all communicate, live and evolve.
The shift for 5 to 6G technology is going to be more than technological advancement, it is an existential shift of the digital future to come and the fantasy movies about it will be closer to the reality than ever.