A Terafactory with 6G 1 Tbs(Terabit per send) wireless at THz frequencies

TruckElectric · Aug 14, 2020

Thought it sounded good anyway.

Photo: iStockphoto
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Amid a 5G rollout that has faced its fair share of challenges, it might seem somewhat premature to start looking ahead at 6G, the next generation of mobile communications. But 6G development is happening now, and it’s being pursued in earnest by both industry and academia.

Much of the future landscape for 6G was mapped out in an article published in March of this year in an article published by IEEE Communications titled “Toward 6G Networks: Use Cases and Technologies.” The article presents the requirements, the enabling technologies and the use cases for adopting a systematic approach to overcoming the research challenges for 6G.

“6G research activities are envisioning radically new communication technologies, network architectures, and deployment models,” said Michele Zorzi, a professor at the University of Padua in Italy, and one of the authors of the IEEE Communications article. “Although some of these solutions have already been examined in the context of 5G, they were intentionally left out of initial 5G standards developments and will not be part of early 5G commercial rollout mainly because markets are not mature enough to support them.”

The foundational difference between 5G and 6G networks, according to Zorzi, will be the increased role that intelligence will play in 6G networks. It will go beyond merely classification and prediction tasks as is the case in legacy and/or 5G systems.

While machine-learning-driven networks are now still in their infancy, they will likely represent a fundamental component of the 6G ecosystem, which will shift towards a fully-user-centric architecture where end terminals will be able to make autonomous network decisions without supervision from centralized controllers.

This decentralization of control will enable sub-millisecond latency as required by several 6G services (which is below the already challenging 1-millisecond requirement of emerging 5G systems). This is expected to yield more responsive network management.

To achieve this new kind of performance, the underlying technologies of 6G will be fundamentally different from 5G. For example, says Marco Giordani, a researcher at the University of Padua and co-author of the IEEE Communications article, even though 5G networks have been designed to operate at extremely high frequencies in the millimeter-wave bands, 6G will exploit even higher-spectrum technologies—terahertz and optical communications being two examples.

At the same time, Giordani explains that 6G will have a new cell-less network architecture that is a clear departure from current mobile network designs. The cell-less paradigm can promote seamless mobility support, targeting interruption-free communication during handovers, and can provide quality of service (QoS) guarantees that are in line with the most challenging mobility requirements envisioned for 6G, according to Giordani.

Giordani adds: “While 5G networks (and previous generations) have been designed to provide connectivity for an essentially bi-dimensional space, future 6G heterogeneous architectures will provide three-dimensional coverage by deploying non-terrestrial platforms (e.g., drones, HAPs, and satellites) to complement terrestrial infrastructures.”
Key Industry and Academic Initiatives in 6G Development:

Both Samsung Electronics and LG have opened research centers for the development of essential technologies for 6G mobile networks.
SK Telecom, Nokia, and Ericsson are collaborating together on a 6G-oriented research project.
In its Canadian research center, Huawei is also looking towards the future in terms of wireless technology and has been reported to have started its own 6G research.
Sony, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), and Intel have announced plans to work together to develop 6G technology, which they expect could be rolled out as early as 2030.
Tektronix and French research laboratory IEMN have developed 100 Gbps “wireless fiber” solutions. In a demonstration of the technology last year, they used a single carrier wireless link with a 100 Gbps data rate signal at 252 to 325 GHz, per the IEEE 802.15.3d standard.
NTT has also demonstrated a 100 Gbps solution, but in its technology the carrier used a new principle, Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) multiplexing, at 28 GHz with MIMO technology.
In terms of academic and industry research cooperation, Finland has launched a flagship project built around nascent 6G technology, called 6Genesis. Researchers there have led the publication of several whitepapers discussing the key drivers and research questions prompting the development of 6G.
Keysight Technologies, a provider of test and design solutions for telecommunication as well as other industries, is working on the 6Genesis flagship project.
From a standardization point of view, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) will start concrete 6G standardization work from Release 20 (expected around 2025), and the European Commission is boosting research towards 5G long-term evolution.
Among the academic players in this space, the University of Oulu in Finland is heading the already mentioned 6Genesis flagship initiative.
The NYU Wireless group is another leading academic research center pursuing 6G wireless and generations beyond that with cutting edge work in propagation measurement and modeling above 95 GHz.
The Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things (WIOT) at Northeastern University is working on several active projects and research collaborations on 6G wireless systems.
The mmWave Networking Group at the University of Padua has its own 6G research group and they are also working closely with the NYU Wireless Group

Source: IEEE SPECTRUM

Samsung predicts 1Tbps 6G could be available by 2028
By Steve McCaskill a month ago
Samsung believes 6G will lower latency even further, with 1Tbps speeds soon possible

Samsung believes commercial 6G networks could be in operation as early as 2028, delivering speeds of 1Tbps and latency of less than 100 microseconds – making it 50 times faster than 5G with just a tenth of the latency.

The immediate focus in the mobile industry is the rollout of 5G technology but the race to be the leader in the even more nascent field of 6G has already begun. China has already started its research and development activities, while the €251 million 6Genesis programme is already well underway in Northern Finland. The US also has 6G ambitions.

Samsung is a minor, but growing, player in telecoms equipment and hopes demand for 5G kit will see its share of the market rise even further. By the time 6G arrives, it could be an even major competitor to the likes of Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia.

Samsung 6G

To support these efforts, Samsung has expanded its telecommunication research team and formed a new group called the Advanced Communications Research Center in the Korean capital of Seoul.

Its new whitepaper, The Next Hyper-Connected Experience for All, outlines the technical and societal trends that could have an impact on the development of the 6G standards.

It hypothesises that the 6G will enable advanced services such as truly immersive extended reality (XR), high-fidelity mobile hologram and digital twins. Central to this applications will the ability of 6G to compensate for current constraints – such as the limited processing capability of mobile devices – and the integration of intelligence into the network.

The publication also suggests candidate technologies that could form 6G. This includes terahertz (THz) spectrum, new antenna technology and optimal network architecture. Samsung suggests that the standard could be finalised in 2028, paving the way for the first networks, with mass commercialisation occurring in 2030.

“While 5G commercialization is still in its initial stage, it’s never too early to start preparing for 6G because it typically takes around 10 years from the start of research to commercialization of a new generation of communications technology,” explained Sunghyun Choi, Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center.

“We’ve already launched the research and development of 6G technologies by building upon the experience and ability we have accumulated from working on multiple generations of communications technology, including 5G. Going forward, we are committed to leading the standardization of 6G in collaboration with various stakeholders across industry, academia and government fields.”

Source: Techradar

TruckElectric · Dec 31, 2020

The 6G Journey Begins with a Bang (and a Launch)

By Salvatore Salamone

6G networks will be more autonomous and self-healing. Achieving these properties can be done by incorporating intelligence into the networks and by using AI.

Is it too early to bring up 6G and its use cases? Maybe not. For a technology that is not expected to be available until 2030, 6G has had an impressive year. China launched the first 6G satellite into orbit. And major communications providers AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, along with others, joined the newly formed Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) Next G Alliance, an industry initiative that will advance North American mobile technology leadership in 6G and beyond over the next decade.

How does 6G differ from 5G and other cellular services?

Each successive generation of cellular service has offered benefits over its predecessor. 4G improved over 3G services by adding mobile broadband internet access. Such service enabled mobile web access and mobile IP voice, gaming, and videoconferencing applications.

Similarly, the main advantage of 5G services over 4G is that 5G offers greater bandwidth, resulting in faster transmission and download speeds. 5G’s capabilities enable many new applications. Those include mobile video streaming, intelligent edge, and greater use of the Internet of Things (IoT).

5G is just getting rolled out globally. Many things still need to be evaluated related to its availability, usefulness, economics, and use in specific applications. Still, we know enough about it to use 5G to put 6G into perspective.

6G will be significantly faster than 5G. Both make use of higher frequencies of the wireless spectrum. Higher frequencies allow more data to be transmitted faster. How much faster will 6G be over 5G? A commonly stated goal for 6G is for it to be 1,000 times faster than 5G. That will depend on the transmission technologies and broadcast frequencies used.

Latency differences are another aspect used to compare these services. 4G latency is about 50 milliseconds. Current 5G deployments are touting latencies of less than 30 milliseconds. Still, providers expect to reduce that to 10 milliseconds and lower (some say it could possibly be sub-1 millisecond) using techniques such as network slicing.

The anticipated 6G bandwidth and latency characteristics will spawn uses in a variety of innovative application areas, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), holographic telepresence, eHealth (healthcare delivered remotely), autonomous vehicles, Industry 4.0, and robotics.

What obstacles must be addressed?

6G will need new standards from industry and government organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union. And as is the case with any communication service that uses public airwaves, there will be spectrum allocation and regulatory issues that governments must decide on.

The new generation networks also will need new technology. Specially, the industry will need to develop new disruptive communications technologies to enable 6G services. Furthermore, the critical applications envisioned for 6G will require an extremely high level of network and service resiliency and availability. As such, the networks will be more autonomous and self-healing. Achieving these properties can be done by incorporating intelligence into the networks and using artificial intelligence.

About Salvatore Salamone
Salvatore Salamone is a physicist by training who has been writing about science and information technology for more than 30 years. During that time, he has been a senior or executive editor at many industry-leading publications including High Technology, Network World, Byte Magazine, Data Communications, LAN Times, InternetWeek, Bio-IT World, and Lightwave, The Journal of Fiber Optics. He also is the author of three business technology books.

SOURCE: RTInsights

TruckElectric · Feb 21, 2021

Technology
Apple Hiring Engineers to Develop 6G Wireless
By
Mark Gurman
February 18, 2021, 5:00 AM CST

Company wants to rely less on others for new technology
Job listings posted for positions in San Diego, Silicon Valley

Apple Inc. launched its first iPhones with 5G wireless speeds a few months ago. Now it’s looking to start work on sixth-generation cellular connectivity, or 6G, indicating it wants to be a leader in the technology rather than relying on other companies.

The Cupertino, California-based company this week posted job ads seeking wireless system research engineers for current and next-generation networks. The listings are for positions at Apple’s offices in Silicon Valley and San Diego, where the company works on wireless technology development and chip design.

“You will have the unique and rewarding opportunity to craft next generation wireless technology that will have deep impact on future Apple products,“ according to the job announcement. “In this role you will be at the center of a cutting-edge research group responsible for creating next generation disruptive radio access technologies over the next decade.”

People hired for the positions will “research and design next generation (6G) wireless communication systems for radio access networks” and “participate in industry/academic forums passionate about 6G technology.” Industry watchers don’t expect 6G to roll out until about 2030, but the job listings indicate Apple wants to be involved at the earliest stages in the development of the new technology. A company spokeswoman declined to comment.

Apple’s current swath of iPhones use 5G modems designed by Qualcomm Inc. While the company launched its first 5G devices at an opportune time, several phone makers beat it to market and Apple relied heavily on Qualcomm for connection to the new wireless network, which dramatically improves the amount and speed of data that consumers can download. In order to get 5G into the latest iPhones, Apple settled a contentious lawsuit with the San Diego-based chipmaker. Apple’s early involvement in 6G research and design indicates it won’t wait around for the next major advancement.

ate last year, Apple joined an alliance of companies working on standards for 6G and other next-generation cellular technologies. The standards and timing for 6G are still loosely defined, but some analysts say the technology could enable speeds more than 100 times faster than 5G.

The job listings are another signal of Apple’s continued push into developing more technology in-house. The company has designed main processors for the iPhone and iPad and last year expanded that effort to the Mac. It has also ramped up work on its own custom screens and camera technologies, in addition to wireless chips for AirPods, Apple Watch and precise location data.

Apple last year started developing its first custom modem, the chip that allows phones to connect to wireless networks. In a town hall meeting with employees in December, Johny Srouji, Apple’s custom technology and chip head, said that “long-term strategic investments like these are a critical part of enabling our products and making sure we have a rich pipeline of innovative technologies for our future.”

Though Apple is laying the groundwork to be a key player in 6G, it has much work ahead to take full advantage of 5G, a technology in its infancy. The company hasn’t expanded 5G to other devices like the Apple Watch and iPad, and it sells multiple iPhones that use older 4G technology. It’s likely that Apple’s first modem will be for 5G connectivity.

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG

Forget 5G, the U.S. and China Are Already Fighting for 6G Dominance
A contest to deliver the kind of technology that’s long been the stuff of science fiction is underway
By
Shirley Zhao
Scott Moritz
Thomas Seal
February 8, 2021, 3:00 PM CST

Most of the world is yet to experience the benefits of a 5G network, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up.

For companies and governments, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The first to develop and patent 6G will be the biggest winners in what some call the next industrial revolution. Though still at least a decade away from becoming reality, 6G — which could be up to 100 times faster than the peak speed of 5G — could deliver the kind of technology that’s long been the stuff of science fiction, from real-time holograms to flying taxis and internet-connected human bodies and brains.

The scrum for 6G is already intensifying even as it remains a theoretical proposition, and underscores how geopolitics is fueling technological rivalries, particularly between the U.S. and China.

“This endeavor is so important that it’s become an arms race to some extent,” said Peter Vetter, head of access and devices at Nokia Oyj’s research arm Bell Labs. “It will require an army of researchers on it to remain competitive.”

Years of acrimony under the Trump administration have hit Chinese technology companies hard, but that hasn’t stopped the country from emerging as the leader in 5G. It has the world’s largest 5G footprint, and — despite multiple attempts by the U.S. to take it on — Huawei Technologies Co. towers over rival 5G vendors globally, mostly by offering attractive prices.

Network Innovation
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The development of 6G could give the U.S. the opportunity to regain lost ground in wireless technology.

“Unlike 5G, North America will not let the opportunity for a generational leadership slide by so easily this time,” said Vikrant Gandhi, senior industry director of information and communications technologies at consultancy firm Frost & Sullivan in the U.S. “It is likely that the competition for 6G leadership will be fiercer than that for 5G.”

It’s clear that 6G is already on the minds of policy makers in both Washington and Beijing. Former President Donald Trump tweeted in early 2019, for example, that he wanted 6G “as soon as possible.”

China is already moving ahead. The country launched a satellite in November to test airwaves for potential 6G transmission, and Huawei has a 6G research center in Canada, according to Canadian media reports. Telecommunications equipment manufacturer ZTE Corp. has also teamed up with China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd. to develop the technology.

Experimental Band
Terahertz waves could meet 6G’s speed, latency requirements

The U.S. has demonstrated that it has the ability to seriously handicap Chinese companies, as in the case of ZTE, which almost collapsed after the Commerce Department banned it for three months in 2018 from buying American technology. Similar moves could hamper Huawei’s 6G ambitions.

Washington has already started to sketch out the 6G battle lines. The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions, a U.S. telecom standards developer known as ATIS, launched the Next G Alliance in October to “advance North American leadership in 6G.” The alliance’s members include technology giants like Apple Inc., AT&T Inc., Qualcomm Inc., Google and Samsung Electronics Co., but not Huawei.

The alliance mirrors the way that the world has been fractured into opposing camps as a result of 5G rivalry. Led by the U.S, which identified Huawei as an espionage risk — an allegation the Chinese giant denies — countries including Japan, Australia, Sweden and the U.K. have shut the firm out of their 5G networks. However, Huawei is welcomed in Russia, the Philippines, Thailand, and other countries in Africa and the Middle East.

The European Union in December also unveiled a 6G wireless project led by Nokia, which includes companies like Ericsson AB and Telefonica SA, as well as universities.

The lack of trust in Chinese companies like Huawei is unlikely to abate with 6G. Democracies are growing increasingly worried about how 5G technology is being used by authoritarian regimes, with fears that 6G could enable technologies such as mass drone surveillance. China is already using surveillance cameras, AI, facial recognition and biometrics such as voice samples and DNA to track and control citizens.

“Currently China seems to be doing everything in terms of surveillance and suppression to make sure that they lose future markets in the U.S. and Europe,” said Paul Timmers, a senior adviser at Brussels-based think tank European Policy Centre and former director of digital society and cybersecurity at the European Commission. “This indicates that the technical approach to 6G cannot be trusted to be decoupled from state ideological objectives.”

While commercial 5G was introduced around 2019, countries are still rolling out networks and developing applications that could attract businesses and turn the technology profitable. Likewise, 6G may not reach its potential at least 15 years from now, said Gandhi of Frost & Sullivan. Only about 100 wireless carriers worldwide offer 5G services in limited areas right now.

But researchers have an ambitious vision for what the next-generation network could offer. At a potential rate of 1 terabyte per second, 6G is not only much faster, but also promises a latency — which causes lags — of 0.1 millisecond, compared to 1 millisecond, or the minimum for 5G. To achieve that, scientists are focusing on the super high frequency terahertz waves that could meet those speed and latency requirements, though there is not yet a chip capable of transmitting so much data in a second.

It still remains too early to tell whether the envisioned futuristic world defined by 6G will eventually materialize. In that theoretical world, everything in our environment will be connected to the 6G networks — not only can people communicate with things like furniture and clothes, but those gadgets can also communicate among themselves.

Major scientific obstacles abound — for example, researchers must solve the question of how airwaves traveling extremely short distances can easily penetrate materials such as water vapor or even a sheet of paper. Networks may need to be ultra-dense, with multiple base stations installed not only on every street, but also in each building or even each device people use to receive and transmit signals. That’s set to raise serious questions over health, privacy and urban design.

“Technological advances, especially those as futuristic and complex such as 6G radio communication should be developed carefully,” said Gandhi. “We believe that countries cannot start soon enough. The private sector cannot start soon enough. And that is why we already have initiatives such as the Next G Alliance.”

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG

TruckElectric · Feb 26, 2021

6G Cellular Networks and Connected Autonomous Vehicles
Jianhua He, Kun Yang, Hsiao-Hwa Chen

With 5G mobile communication systems been commercially rolled out, research discussions on next generation mobile systems, i.e., 6G, have started.

On the other hand, vehicular technologies are also evolving rapidly, from connected vehicles as coined by V2X (vehicle to everything) to autonomous vehicles to the combination of the two, i.e., the networks of connected autonomous vehicles (CAV).

How fast the evolution of these two areas will go head-in-head is of great importance, which is the focus of this paper. Based on a brief overview on the technological evolution of V2X to CAV and 6G key technologies, this paper explores two complementary research directions, namely, 6G for CAVs versus CAVs for 6G.

The former investigates how various 6G key enablers, such as THz, cell free communication and artificial intelligence (AI), can be utilized to provide CAV mission-critical services. The latter discusses how CAVs can facilitate effective deployment and operation of 6G systems. This paper attempts to investigate the interactions between the two technologies to spark more research efforts in these areas.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2010.00972.pdf

SOURCE: arxiv.org

6G for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Communications: Enabling Technologies, Challenges, and Opportunities