Commentary

Want Even Faster Mobile Speeds? Wait 10 Years

Mobile technology is still contending with 5G growing pains. And yet, interested parties are already looking forward, to, yes, 6G, technology -- possibly coming in 10 years.

Rough estimates have digital technology executives salivating with this promise: 6G is expected to be “100 times” faster than 5G, according to a post on Digital Trends. That means better performance all over the place: lower latency, bigger bandwidth, and perhaps even better results than a “wired” network.

Think device-to-device connection with no lag time. This would equate to changing a channel on a traditional TV set and getting video/pictures instantly. So, forget about those “loading” messages while waiting for YouTube to start content, advertising-related and otherwise.

Kind of like blockchain technology, the prospects are 6G will be decentralized, not coming from one network source. So hacking potentially will be more difficult.

Perhaps the biggest 6G gain will be to boost new consumers wearables.  Virtual reality platforms could also benefit, offering “sensory” interactions in real time through smart glasses.

All this seems out of step when the world is still finding its 5G footing.

It won’t be until 2023, by some estimates, that two-thirds of the U.S. will be covered by 5G. New cell towers/infrastructure and equipment  need to be built to accommodate 5G.

While top phone manufacturers already out with new 5G mobile device products, there’s been a very slow rollout of new apps.

No matter. Countries are already working on the future. China  reportedly launched a 6G experimental satellite in November 2020. In the U.S., all leading communication companies have developmental 6G efforts -- AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Additionally, Japan, Finland, Germany, South Korea, and Russia, are working on 6G technologies.

Development is one thing. But will the marketplace be ready? 

The lagging history around 5G technology might give us pause about going one number up.

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