Are We Ready for 6G

While excitement over new generations of mobile connectivity technologies hit a high point, unfortunately, 5G fell short of the high expectations around the technology. Regulators should be weary of rushing into the next generation, 6G, without carefully considering the state of connectivity networks today.

While early planning for 6G is a worthwhile exercise, U.S. policymakers should invest in the current technologies and strategies that could spur 6G innovation and should refrain from adopting policies based on assumptions about what 6G will be this early in the process. 6G, when ready and launched, should not focus solely on faster network speeds and more capacity but also be designed to address reliable and ubiquitous connectivity. It should also utilize novel shared spectrum technologies and frameworks to fuel innovation.

What is 6G?

While 6G has yet to take shape, it will be the next generation of mobile wireless technology, in the same way that 5G followed 4G which followed 3G, etc.

The Telecommunication Union (ITU) is defining a framework for the development of standards and radio interface technologies for 6G and is aiming to release the first version of 6G by 2030.

Lessons from 5G

A rush toward policy decisions on 6G while Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have yet to fully deliver on the promises of 5G will not serve the public interest.

• MNOs' lack of investment in network density is a significant reason why many consumers have not seen the advancements touted when carriers began marketing 5G nearly ten years ago.
• This lack of investment has also caused inefficiencies in spectrum usage.

Don't repeat past mistakes

To deliver ubiquitous connectivity, 6G must be far more than just another generation of yesterday's cellular network.

• Mobile carriers must make the necessary investments to densify their 5G networks, as well as use and deploy the spectrum they have collected.
  • Wireless spectrum is a finite resource, so making efficient use of it is critical for future growth.

Wi-Fi's role in connectivity

To encourage public interest in the 6G era, policymakers should be looking at how to promote the heterogeneous networking environment that will be needed. Wi-Fi and unlicensed technologies are unsung lynchpins of mobile networks; without them, there would not be a modern wireless experience.

• More than 88% of cable operators' mobile data traffic is offloaded to Wi-Fi networks, and nationwide mobile carriers likewise rely on Wi-Fi to offload large percentages of data traffic and free up capacity.
• Wi-Fi and other unlicensed technologies carry over half of all global internet traffic, which in turn supports licensed (and wired) networks as well.
  • Today, 5G uses exclusive-licensed spectrum, but it depends heavily on offloading data to Wi-Fi networks.
• As such, policymakers should initiate an inquiry into the advancement of Wi-Fi 8 technology, which is also in development and will be a key part of broadband delivery for decades to come.

Cable provides wireless competition

Cable providers are already key players in the wireless industry, providing strong competition to traditional nationwide mobile carriers.

• Cable is now the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the country.
• The industry's wireline network assets enable cost-effective wireless services throughout the United States.

6G must be more than a traditional mobile network to deliver ubiquitous connectivity and support key use cases. It must be a diverse network environment combining unlicensed, shared, and exclusive-licensed networks. As such, U.S. policymakers seeking to further 6G must support new technological developments that enable unlicensed and shared access.

To learn more about Wi-Fi and cable's mobile offerings, visit NCTA.com.

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