Rel-21+ (expected) · IMT-2030 (research targets)
6G
IMT-2030 (Research Phase)
The network that merges the physical and digital worlds.
6G is still in research and standardisation phases — ITU-R IMT-2030 targets are expected to be finalised around 2027, with commercial deployments around 2030. Targets include sub-1ms latency, terahertz spectrum, AI-native air interfaces, and integrated sensing. The vision is a network that doesn't just connect devices but perceives and models the physical world.
Key Metrics
Key Innovations
6G research targets 0.1–10 THz bands, offering hundreds of GHz of contiguous bandwidth per carrier — enabling theoretical peak rates of 1 Tbps. Range is sub-100m; primarily indoor and dense urban.
Unlike 5G where AI is an add-on optimisation layer, 6G embeds machine learning directly into the air interface — channel estimation, beam management, and waveform selection are all ML-driven.
6G base stations simultaneously communicate and sense their environment — acting as distributed radar. Enables centimetre-precision positioning and environment mapping using the communication signal itself.
Extended ultra-reliability targets: 0.1ms over-the-air latency and up to 99.99999% (seven nines) reliability — enabling full remote surgery and safety-critical industrial automation.
Multi-dimensional holographic video transmission requires Tbps throughput and <1ms latency simultaneously — only feasible with 6G's combined improvements.
6G formally integrates LEO satellite, HAPS (high-altitude platform stations), and terrestrial networks into a unified access layer — true global coverage including oceans and polar regions.
Use Case Support
All legacy messaging services continue to work.
1 Gbps+ realistic speeds make any web interaction instantaneous.
HD streaming is trivially supported — not a meaningful differentiator for 6G.
Fully supported.
6G exceeds all cloud gaming requirements by multiple orders of magnitude.
6G targets 10 million devices/km² — 10x 5G's mMTC target.
6G's Tbps rates and <1ms latency enable full holographic AR/VR without any compromise.
Sub-1ms with seven-nines reliability is the core design target of 6G URLLC — this is the flagship 6G use case.
Architecture
6G — AI-Native Distributed Architecture (Conceptual)
6G architecture is not yet standardised. Research consensus describes a distributed, AI-native, cloud-native architecture with integrated sensing, non-terrestrial layers, and semantic communication.
See the full interactive diagram on the Architecture page.
What Changed from 5G
Opens entirely new frequency bands above mmWave, offering hundreds of GHz bandwidth per carrier for Tbps peak rates.
ML embedded into the waveform itself — not a layer on top. The radio interface learns and adapts continuously.
Communication signals double as radar — the network perceives and maps its physical environment in real time.
Tbps + <1ms enables multi-user holographic video — the convergence of physical and digital presence.
LEO satellites and HAPS become first-class access nodes in the same architecture as ground base stations.
A real-time virtual replica of the entire network enables AI-driven optimisation and predictive management at global scale.