The launch of 6G technology is still some years away, with the first commercial deployments expected around 2030. As of now, 6G standards and specifications have not been defined, but discussions are ongoing. Industry stakeholders are considering various technical options and have developed a broad commercial and social 'wish list' for 6G.
Key features anticipated for 6G include powering immersive, ubiquitous, and sensory digital experiences on a massive scale, effectively turning the network into a form of 'sixth sense.' This could lead to the development of new experiences like immersive mixed reality, holographic, and multi-sensory communication. Another significant aspect of 6G will be its low energy consumption, potentially enabling devices to operate without batteries by harvesting ambient energy, thus expanding IoT use cases in various fields such as logistics, warehousing, shipping, and agriculture.
The International Telecommunication Union — Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) presented its standard for 6G technology, the Draft IMT-2030 (6G) Framework Recommendation, in June 2023. This marked a significant milestone in the development of 6G. The technical specifications discussions are expected to start in 2025, leading to the first 6G specification in 3GPP Release 21 by 2028