What will 6G networks be capable of, and when will they arrive?

The answer

6G wireless networks, expected to launch commercially around 2030, aim to deliver speeds of 1 terabit per second - 100 times faster than 5G - with latency under 100 microseconds. In 2024, Samsung and the University of California Santa Barbara demonstrated 6G terahertz (THz) frequency transmission over record distances. China launched the world's first 6G test satellite in 2020, and Japan's NTT Docomo achieved 100 Gbps indoor transmission in 2023. Key 6G technologies include reconfigurable intelligent surfaces that turn walls into signal boosters, AI-native network management, and integrated sensing-communication systems enabling centimeter-accurate positioning. Applications include real-time holographic communication, digital twin synchronization, and ubiquitous IoT connectivity supporting up to 10 million devices per square kilometer.