Japanese telco NTT DoCoMo aims to launch commercial “6G” technology by 2030, the carrier said in a release.
The Japanese operator has released a white paper on the topic of 6G technology that incorporates DoCoMo’s views in the field of 5G evolution and 6G communications technology, areas that the company has been researching since 2018. The telco noted that mobile communication systems typically evolve into the next generation over a period of about ten years.
The white paper summarizes the related technical concepts and the expected use cases of evolving 5G and new 6G communication technologies, as well as the technology components and performance targets.
The carrier said it had begun its research into the commercial launch of 5G in 2010. In 2018, the company conducted successful radio wave propagation experiments at frequencies of up to 150 GHz, levels which are expected to enable the much faster and larger-capacity communications that 6G technology will require.
DoCoMo also said it will continue to enhance the ultra-high-speed, large-capacity, low-latency and massive device-connectivity capabilities of 5G technology. It will continue its research into and development of 5G evolution and 6G technology, aiming to realize technological advances including:
-Achievement of a combination of advances in connectivity, including ultra-high speed, large capacity and low latency
-Pioneering of new frequency bands, including terahertz frequencies
-Provision of ultra-low-energy and ultra-low-cost communications
-Capabilities including massive device-connectivity and sensing
Going forward, DoCoMo said it will promote cooperation among government, industry and academia as well as diverse stakeholders, and will continue to research and develop its technology in order to facilitate the further evolution of mobile communications.
NTT DoCoMo launched 5G pre-commercial offerings in September 2019 and expects to launch full commercial 5G services in the Spring of 2020.
Earlier this week, The Japanese government announced plans to put together a comprehensive strategy regarding future “6G” wireless communications networks
The government also announced a panel to start discussions on the topic later this month.
The 6G panel will discuss and analyze technology development, potential utilization of this future technology, as well as methods and policies, according to the International Affairs and Communications Ministry.
Japan’s 6G panel will include representatives of the private sector as well as university researchers and will hear opinions from a variety of industries in order to study potential challenges.
In November 2019, the Chinese government officially started researching 6G technology.
According to reports by Chinese state media, government ministries and research institutes had initial meetings with the aim of establishing a national 6G technology research and development group. The Ministry of Science and Technology said that it will set up two working groups to carry out the 6G research activities.
One group will consist of relevant government departments responsible for promoting how 6G research and development will be carried out. The other group will be made up of 37 universities, research institutes and companies, which will exclusively focus on the technical side of 6G technologies.
