“I want 6G”, messaged Donald Trump in February 2019. Just a few days later, Mika Rantakokko was assembling a fair stand at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The stand’s theme was 6G, and researchers were prepared to talk with a handful of peers about the next generation of wireless networks. After Trump’s messages, the stand’s free treats were quickly snapped up as network professionals flocked to hear more about the successor to 5G the president had mentioned. Now, around seven years later, it’s time to ask whether 6G is worth waiting for.
Networks face a heavy load as people stream video on their phones, artificial intelligence scrapes data on the Internet, machines talk to each other in factories, and quantum computers are being tuned for real-world use. Finland is known for advanced networks and highly developed network technology. A steadily increasing societal dependence on networks and innovations raises interest in 6G and its timeline, and in the status of 5G and other network technologies.
“When talking about 6G, it is essential to understand that it’s not a revolution but a steady technical evolution. The development progresses incrementally, and at one stage, you realise that you can’t talk about 5G anymore. Features have passed its level, and it’s time to start using the term 6G,” says Mika Rantakokko from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.
Rantakokko is a digitalisation innovator working as VTT’s Connectivity Lead. His field of tasks includes, among others, 5G/6G and quantum communication technologies, and their application to the needs of various industries.
It is valuable for the societal resilience to have infrastructures that complement each other: if one network fails, the other can take its place.
Rantakokko reminds us that, in practice, the next-generation networks are a combination of complementary technologies.
“For instance, satellite networks will be an important supplement alongside terrestrial networks. Their significance is especially emphasised in sparsely populated areas and in crises when terrestrial networks alone are insufficient. It is valuable for the societal resilience to have infrastructures that complement each other: if one network fails, the other can take its place.”
Technologies also vary; for instance, 6G has a shorter range than 5G.
“It is more comparable with WiFi technology than a widely ranging mobile network. Therefore, 6G will not replace its predecessors but complement them. It integrates those use cases that require especially computing power, high data transfer rates, and an extremely low latency.”
Not only data transfer
According to Rantakokko, the most significant change in next-generation mobile networks is that radio technology and infrastructure can be used for purposes beyond data transfer.
“We speak about so-called integrated sensing and communications development: radio doesn’t only transfer data, but it has sensing capabilities. Earlier, a separate sensor was necessary, but in the future, the same radio can take both roles.”
Rantakokko says that sensing capabilities greatly expand the potential use of communications equipment. The infrastructure that used to transfer only data can, going forward, generate accurate situational information.
“This makes it valuable, for instance, for monitoring critical infrastructure or for drones where the size and weight of devices are essential.”
As development progresses, it’s not only about combining communications and sensing but also about computing.
“Devices, base stations, and cloud services comprise an entity where it is possible to decide what is the optimal location for computing – at the edge near the user or in the cloud. This has several advantages: when it’s not necessary to transfer everything far to the cloud, the latency diminishes and communications function faster than before,” he describes.
Standardisation still ongoing
When a new network generation is developed, the technical breakthrough is not what counts most, but a global agreement on rules. This is called standardisation, which is still in the early stages with 6G.
“International working groups are defining what it will be in practice. A mutual vision will likely be reached by the end of this decade, and business can be built upon it,” estimates Rantakokko.
Simultaneously, foundations for new inventions and immaterial rights are being created. During 5G, Nokia amassed a significant number of patents, and other companies have been paying for their use and continue to do so. The same logic applies to 6G: those who succeed in patenting crucial solutions can license them.
If we succeed, licensing incomes will flow to Finland – if not, they will flow elsewhere.
“This is a big opportunity for Finland since we have top-notch research and business know-how. If we succeed, licensing incomes will flow to Finland – if not, they will flow elsewhere,” he says.
President Trump may not necessarily get 6G during his second term, but U.S. networks are already stronger today. Mika Rantakokko sees connectivity as an enabler for almost everything and considers the Nordics to be well-positioned.
“As technology develops, the significance of well-functioning connectivity only grows. In Europe, telecommunications are still considered one of the crown jewels, and particularly the Nordics are a focal point in this development. Finland has undeniably been a forerunner in all generations, so why not in the next ones as well!”
How will networks develop in the future? Read more about this and other technical innovations shaping our future in our Technology Trends article!
