It’s Never Too Early To Think

About 6G

The first thought that popped into your head as soon as you read this article’s headline was likely
something along the lines of “Wait, I thought we were still waiting on 5G.” And that’s true: This is the
year 5G deployment is finally picking up steam.

But that’s precisely why ComSenTer, a multi-university research effort into the fundamentals of what 6G
might look like, is already turning its attention to the next next generation of wireless. 5G will utilize
higher frequency spectrum than previous generations in order to improve data rates. Insomuch as
anyone has an idea of what 6G might look like, it’s a good bet that it will take that same tack.

“It’s not clear what 6G will be,” says Sundeep Rangan, the director of NYU Wireless, one of the
institutions participating in ComSenTer. “If it is the case that 6G or other communications systems can
benefit from very, very high frequency transmissions, we need to start looking at that now.”

Rangan adds that, “It’s premature to say that what we’re looking at will definitely be part of 6G,”
stressing that what’s being investigated now is still fundamental research.

Even so, Mark Rodwell, ComSenTer’s director and a professor at the University of California Santa
Barbara, says there are a few key demonstration projects ComSenTer is looking into. The first
involves building a base station that can handle the frequency ranges expected to be part of future
generations of wireless. ComSenTer, which is being funded by the Semiconductor Research Corporation,
a consortium of heavy-hitters like DARPA, IBM, and Intel, is focusing its efforts on the 140-gigahertz,
220-GHz, and 340-GHz frequencies—all significantly higher than the 3.4 to 3.8 GHz band being leveraged
for 5G.

Rodwell envisions a base station that could emit up to a thousand beams simultaneously. “What you’re
looking at is four surfaces, each capable of 250 simultaneous beams,” he says. If each beam provided 10
gigabits per second, a single base station could transfer 10 terabits every second.

The higher frequencies also present challenges for handsets. The higher-frequency receiver components
must be packed more closely together, introducing a risk of overheating. Signal loss must also be
addressed. “Packet loss is phenomenally extensive at these frequencies,” says Rodwell.

The third major challenge is a question of math. “When a signal comes in [from a particular] direction,
it’s hitting all the antennas,” says Rodwell. “Massive numbers of beams mean a lot of number crunching.
You’ve got to sort all that out.”

ComSenTer’s areas of interest overlap in many places with technologies and techniques that were
developed for 5G. One of the main challenges with millimeter waves, for example, is their relatively short
range and an annoying habit of being easily blocked by buildings and even people. The higher gigahertz
frequencies that ComSenTer researchers will be exploring will face those problems to an even greater
extent.

Even so, Ali Niknejad, a professor at the University of California Berkeley and the assistant director at
ComSenTer, sees potential for massive improvements over 5G. “When people talk about 5G and you look
at the demonstrations they’ve done, they’re kind of artificial.”

5G has rightly generated massive hype regarding what it will do for applications including autonomous
cars and virtual reality. As we noted in an earlier article, it will “allow for previously unachievable
precision, data rates, and network capacity” that will “finally make technologies possible that engineers
have worked on and struggled with for years.” But, at the end of the day, 5G applications remain
constrained by a single-beam approach to data transfer. A system designed around hundreds
of simultaneous beams emitted at even higher frequencies promises much higher data rates for our
bandwidth-hungry society.

Of course, it’s not guaranteed that 6G will ultimately look anything like ComSenTer’s vision. Rangan says
that it will be important to watch the development of 5G as it is deployed, to see what actually catches
on. But that’s also a compelling reason to begin the research now, so that researchers can flexibly adapt
to both 5G’s successes and shortcomings to build the wireless network that will follow it.
 “This is research,” says Niknejad, “You’re looking at the future, looking well beyond today. 5G research
started over 10 years ago. Looking at when 6G will come out, it makes sense to start it now.”

https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/telecom/wireless/its-never-too-early-to-think-about-6g

The Race to 5G: Policy

Read about the latest developments in spectrum policy and 5G regulations

 T-Mobile is Serious About 600 MHz

11 January 2018

In a letter to U.S. regulators, T-Mobile pledged to offer mobile 5G at 600 MHz by 2020, and said its
current 600 MHz LTE network is already up and running in 586 towns and cities. The company also plans
to launch “more than a dozen” new smartphones this year that will support 600 MHz service. And the
letter highlighted T-Mobile’s investments to expand its network to reach more people with LTE service.
Its total coverage area now encompasses 322 million people (up from 315 million in 2017).

 T-Mobile Asks FCC to Modify Antenna Rules

18 January 2018

T-Mobile is considering using millimeter waves in the E-band (70 GHz to 80 GHz) to provide backhaul for
5G service in cities. Operating in that band means installing a bunch of new antennas. With that in mind,
the company asked U.S. regulators to relax their antenna requirements. Specifically, the company says
“antenna physics” prevent it from using the types of antennas (flat, small, and discreet) that landlords
and zoning boards prefer. T-Mobile has tested the FibeAir IP-20E by Ceragon Networks, a flat-panel
antenna that can attach to streetlights or poles.
 America Movil to Bid for 5G Spectrum

9 February 2018

Mexico’s largest wireless provider will be allowed to bid on new spectrum in an upcoming auction, the
nation’s telecommunications regulator said. The auction will distribute 120 MHz of spectrum from the 2.5
GHz band, which carriers intend to use for 5G as well as expanded 4G LTE service and new Internet of
Things networks. Competitors including AT&T had lobbied regulators to ban America Movil from the
auction, since the company recently purchased spectrum in that same band. A government
official told Reuters the agency would place caps on companies’ bids based on how much spectrum they
already held.

 Vodafone Bids in U.K. Spectrum Auction

20 March 2018

Vodafone is one of six companies that will soon begin bidding on available 5G spectrum in the U.K., in an
auction held by the regulator Ofcom that kicked off today. The spectrum that’s up for grabs includes 150
megahertz in the 3.4 GHz band, and 40 megahertz in the 2.3 GHz band. There aren’t many devices that
support service at 3.4 GHz today, but that could change if carriers start to use it for 5G. Ofcom has
placed a cap on how much spectrum Vodafone can purchase, though, since the company already holds
29 percent of the U.K.’s mobile spectrum.

 AT&T Pleased with FCC’s New Base Station Rules

22 March 2018

AT&T issued a statement thanking the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for excusing small
cells (tiny base stations that serve smaller areas than cell towers) from undergoing mandatory federal
environmental and impact reviews. AT&T and other companies had lobbied the regulator to relax its
requirements, arguing that small cells shouldn’t be treated the same way as traditional cell towers.
Opponents expressed concerns about putting up more pieces of equipment in communities, including the
potential long-term health effects of living near these sites. Small cells will still be subject to local reviews
by cities and towns.

 America Movil Shuns New National Mobile Network

 22 March 2018

Mexico recently rolled out an ambitious national 4G network—which would presumably also support 5G
someday—to save individual carriers the hassle of building their own, and to expand service to rural
areas. However, America Movil’s CEO said on a recent earnings call that the company doesn’t intend to
use it, preferring to stick to its own network. Just last month, a judge ruled that America Movil had to
permit its competitors—including Telefonica and AT&T—to share its infrastructure. Ahead of 5G, these
moves aim to increase competition within Mexico’s telecom sector, where America Movil currently serves
two-thirds of mobile phone subscribers.

 Verizon Eyes 3.5 GHz Band

23 March 2018

Verizon has asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for permission to conducts wireless tests
in Florida in the 3.5 GHz band, known as Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). This band has been
reserved by the U.S. government for a spectrum sharing experiment, which will allow federal, unlicensed,
and licensed users to operate in that same band at the same time. Verizon’s application suggests the
company is interested in making use of that spectrum for both indoor and outdoor applications. It won’t
be alone, as T-Mobile recently asked to extend a license to test at 3.5 GHz in Las Vegas.

 China Mobile Scores FDD License

3 April 2018

China Mobile announced today that it has received a license from Chinese regulators to use frequency
division duplex (FDD) for its 4G LTE network. That signifies a shift in strategy for the carrier ahead of 5G,
as China Mobile has long preferred to use time division duplex (TDD), in which signals are transmitted in
specific time slots rather than spread out over different frequencies. In a press release [pdf], the
company said it would use the new scheme to expand mobile Internet of Things networks and expand
high-speed service to rural areas.

 Verizon Wins Spectrum Tussle

 3 April 2018

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has decided not to delay the transfer of valuable
millimeter wave licenses to Verizon from Straight Path Communications, a startup that Verizon acquired
in 2017. A request for the delay was filed with the agency by regional carriers who said giving Verizon so
much premium spectrum would effectively shut them out of 5G markets. Last year, Verizon and AT&T
engaged in a dramatic bidding war for Straight Path, which held licenses at 39 GHz and 28 GHz. Recently,
Straight Path and Verizon paid the FCC $614 million to settle an investigation into whether the companies
had failed to meet requirements to put that spectrum to use in a timely manner.

 Vodafone Wins Big in Spectrum Auction

5 April 2018

Vodafone and its competitors spent big on spectrum in a recent U.K. auction that focused on frequencies
favored for 5G. Vodafone walked away with 50 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.4 GHz band, for which it
paid a cool £378 million. That was the biggest purchase of the day. Ofcom, the British regulator, has said
that 3.4 GHz will likely be used by telecos for 5G service.

 ZTE Scolded by U.S. and U.K. Authorities

16 April 2018

Any hopes that ZTE had of using chips made by Qualcomm or Intel in future 5G phones or base stations
have been squashed. An order issued today by the U.S. Department of Commerce effectively bans ZTE
from exporting any products or components from U.S. manufacturers. The punishment comes as the
commerce department says ZTE lied repeatedly in negotiations with the U.S. government in 2016 and
2017. At least one product that ZTE previewed at Mobile World Congress a 5G baseband unit relied on
hardware produced by Intel. News also broke that the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre has warned
telecommunications companies that ZTE’s equipment carries a “national security risk.”
he World's Top 10
Telecommunications
Companies
By Melissa Parietti | Updated January 8, 2018 — 3:48 PM EST

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T
AT&T Inc

32.57

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The world’s top 10 telecommunications companies each have a market value of

more than $50 billion. Servicing the world’s ever-growing telephone and wireless
connection needs, the telecommunications industry is forecast to continue to
expand operations on a global level. More individuals in emerging markets are
signing up for telephone and Internet contracts, while new telecommunications
technologies in developed nations are expanding providers' pre-existing
customer bases.

While several company attributes can distinguish the Big Ten, market value
serves as the determining factor for this list.

1) China Mobile Ltd.

China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE: CHL

CHL
China Mobile

44.66
-1.13%

), the leading provider (by number of subscribers) of telecommunications

services in China – it has approximately 849 million customers – is the top
telecommunications company in the world. It has a market value of $215.3 billion
as of April 2017, and between January and December 2016 its customer base
grew by 2.5%.

2) Verizon Communications Inc.

Verizon Communications, Inc. (NYSE: VZ

VZ
Verizon Communications Inc

48.60
+0.83%

) is the largest telecommunications company in the United States. Its market

value is estimated at $191.72 billion as of April 2017, and its sales weigh in at
$131.8 billion (according to Forbes). Formed in 2000 with headquarters in New
York City, Verizon resulted from a merger between Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE
Corp. In 2015, Verizon completed its acquisition of AOL. The sale came after a
2014 purchase by Verizon of Vodafone’s 45% interest stake in Verizon stock.
Verizon currently operates in 150 countries.

3) AT&T Inc.
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T

T
AT&T Inc

32.57
+0.74%

) is the second-largest telecommunications company in the United States, with a

market value of $245.58 billion. AT&T provides voice services in more than 200
countries and operates more than 34,000 Wi-Fi hotspots. According to its
website, AT&T covers more than 355 million people. It recently expanded its
AT&T GigaPower, an ultra-fast Internet service, to 56 metropolitan locations in
the United States, with plans for further expansion. In 2006, AT&T acquired
BellSouth. It purchased DirecTV in May 2014 for $48.5 billion, which allowed the
company to offer customers the option to bundle more services into the same
package.

4) Vodafone Group plc

Vodafone Group plc’s (NASDAQ: VOD

VOD
Vodafone Group

26.17
+1.00%
) headquarters are in the United Kingdom, and the company services around 444
million mobile customers. Vodafone’s market value is $68.41 billion as of April
2016. From 2012 to 2014, Vodafone acquired three companies: Cable &
Wireless Worldwide, Kabel Deutschland, and Ono. The company’s Standard &
Poor's long-term credit rating is A-. Mobile in-bundle sales account for 42% of
Vodafone’s group service revenue, while 27% of revenue comes from mobile
out-of-bundle sales. Vodafone is the most valuable brand in the United Kingdom
and hosts mobile operations in 26 countries.

5) Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation

Founded in Japan where fast Internet connections are plentiful, Nippon
Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (NYSE: NTT) has a market value of $86.13
billion as of April 2017. Fiber connections are highly valued in Japan, and
Japanese companies are known to spend heavily to attain the newest Internet
technology. This environment has helped boost Nippon Telegraph & Telephone
Corporation’s prevalence. Unlike other telecommunications companies, Nippon
derives much of its business from fiber Internet connections rather than bundle
packages. Increasingly, the company is looking to sales of its cloud
computing services to expand its customer base.

6) Softbank Group Corp.

Softbank Group Corp. started in 1981 as a packaged software distributor, and
has since created a domestic telecommunications segment that services Japan’s
mobile communication, device, and broadband needs. The company’s market
value is $81,459.54 million. Softbank owns an 80% stake in U.S. phone services
provider Sprint in addition to managing Yahoo! Japan. In 2015, Softbank
purchased IBM’s licensing for its robot "Watson" to create a Japanese Android
called "Pepper," with plans to sell the robot to retail customers. Softbank
announced the robot could read human emotions. The first 1,000 units of Pepper
robots sold out in November 2015. In April 2017 rumors surfaced again of
Softbank merging with T-Mobile, Inc. (TMUS

T
AT&T Inc

32.57
+0.74%

).

7) Deutsche Telekom AG
Deutsche Telekom AG services more than 100 million mobile customers with a
presence in over 50 countries and 218,341 employees. The German company
has a market value of $76.11 billion, and more than half of its revenue is
generated outside of Germany. Telekom seeks to build efficient networks that
meet future broadband needs.In 2013, Telekom became the first
telecommunications company to present a smartphone with the Firefox OS. In
2015, the company launched a standardized European network, implementing a
cross-border infrastructure development in three of 10 countries.

8) Telefonica S.A.
Telefonica S.A. (NYSE: TEF

TEF
Telefonica

8.86
+1.49%

) originates from Spain. It serves 21 countries with its customer base largely
concentrated in Latin America. Telefonica’s market value is $52.84 billion, and its
products and services include cloud computing, mobility services, data centers,
enterprise voice and security services.

Telefonica markets its three primary brands with different target audiences:
Movistar serves Spain and Latin America; O2 serves the United Kingdom,
Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia; and VIVO serves Brazil.
Over the past two years, Telefonica has focused on investment as a means of
expanding the business. The company also runs several smaller specialist
brands, including Wayra, a startup accelerator.

9) America Movil
Mexican company America Movil (NASDAQ: AMOV

AMOV
America Movil

15.50
-0.32%

) serves 363.5 million access lines, including 280.6 million mobile subscribers
worldwide. Total coverage of America Movil’s mobile, fixed lines, broadband and
television services is expansive. It has a market value of $49.385 billion;
however, this is a much lower value than in previous years, as the company
battles a series of anti-conglomerate rules aimed at dismantling its
telecommunications monopoly.

Most recently, in April 2017, Mexico's telecommunications regulator put America

Movil on notice to legally separate its Telmex fixed-line infrastructures division
from its cellular division; the move was expected to be done by early 2018.

10) China Telecom

China Telecom is a state-owned company that provides fixed-line telephone
services to 194 million customers. According to it its website, by the end of 2016,
its mobile services reached 62.36 million customers, and broadband reached 113
million. The company’s market value is $309.16 billion. The company
headquarters are located in Beijing. Holding company China Telecom
Corporation Limited (NYSE: CHA

CHA
China Telecom
45.61
-2.92%

) experienced a public offering in 2002 in Hong Kong and New York City. China
Telecom’s second holding company, China Communications Services
Corporation Limited, launched its Hong Kong IPO in 2006. China Telecom’s
commercial brands include E-surfing, E-surfing Navigator, E-surfing E Home and
E-surfing Flying Young.