The 6G Era: How China is Leading the Way in the New Era of Communication Technology

The 6G Era: How China is Leading the Way in the New Era of Communication TechnologyCommunication technology is increasingly indispensable to human society. From 2G to today's 5G, the development of 6G is already on the horizon

The 6G Era: How China is Leading the Way in the New Era of Communication Technology

Communication technology is increasingly indispensable to human society. From 2G to today's 5G, the development of 6G is already on the horizon. For a long time, China lacked a significant advantage in communication technology. However, it achieved a remarkable leap forward in the 5G era, catapulting itself to the forefront of the world. In the 5G field, China holds over 40% of global patent technology, and its 5G signal base stations constitute 70% of the global total, making it a clear leader. But technology, especially 5G technology, is rapidly evolving in today's world, and what is cutting-edge now can quickly become obsolete. As 5G continues to thrive, countries have already begun laying the groundwork for the 6G era, vying for dominance in the next generation of communication technology.

What is 6G?

In March 2019, the world's first 6G summit was held, resulting in the drafting of a 6G white paper. A white paper, typically with a white cover or using white paper for the text, is commonly used in government and conferences, often concise and informative. This 6G white paper outlined the direction of 6G development, essentially setting the stage for establishing 6G rules. Similar to playing a game, the rule-makers gain a natural advantage once the rules are defined.

Following the summit, various countries initiated 6G-related projects. On November 3rd of the same year, China convened a meeting of relevant departments to arrange the launch of 6G technology work, establishing a 6G technology working group and expert group. Although nations had already engaged in related research before launching their 6G projects, the 6G summit marked the official commencement of these efforts.

6G Standards and Features

The future of 6G will encompass breadth, wireless connectivity, and, most importantly, intelligence. In simple terms, it aims to achieve seamless, full coverage, enabling wireless connections while offering various services and applications powered by artificial intelligence systems. To accomplish these goals, various departments and technologies need to collaborate, including satellites, ground base stations, and ocean networks, to achieve a unified approach. This collaboration will involve network architecture, with network information security being paramount.

Emerging from the concept of 6G is a new domain - communication security. 6G communication security encompasses concepts like inherent security, elastic security, context-aware security, and multi-dimensional data security. These security concepts may seem obscure to non-experts, but the technology behind them is vast and intricate. The multitude of these concepts implies a significant number of patent technologies in play. Mastering these patents grants access to relevant keys, empowering the ability to establish corresponding regulations.

The Race for 6G Patents

While 6G technology builds upon 5G, its scope is significantly broader and more diverse. In fact, research for 6G technology began even while 5G was in its nascent stages or under development. For instance, terahertz and visible light communication technology, crucial components of 6G, were already under research abroad before the year 2000.

Since 2010, there has been a steady increase in 6G-related patent applications, with the lowest number occurring in 2017, still amounting to 542 applications. This number declined in 2019 to 583, further dropping to 396 in 2020 and 185 in 2021. This decrease can be attributed to two factors: the pandemic, and the inherent nature of patent development, where the number of un-developed patents inevitably reduces as the technology matures.

Currently, the US holds 35.2% of patent ownership, Japan holds 9.9%, and China? China's 6G patent ownership stands at 40.3%, demonstrating its continued global leadership since the 5G era. Globally, there are over 38,000 6G patent applications, with China boasting over 15,800 applications, demonstrating a clear numerical advantage.

Global Efforts in 6G

Communication technology requires not only patents but also the establishment of corresponding ecosystems. Take the US as an example. They are collaborating with their allies to create technical standards. These standards provide a framework for 6G technology, enabling communication under a unified set of rules. This is akin to establishing the fundamental framework of 6G, while subsequent technical standardization specifies detailed rules for the game.

The International Space Station currently faces criticism due to the lack of a unified standard among various nations, leading to incompatible modules or equipment produced by different countries. This necessitates the use of converters to manage these discrepancies, adding unnecessary complexity and consuming valuable space. The same principle applies to technology. When standards are unified, operations run smoothly according to established guidelines. However, anything outside these standards is excluded or requires cumbersome conversions, increasing burden.

Various countries are actively pushing forward with 6G technology development. The European Union, for example, has consolidated the efforts of 22 companies and research institutions to develop related technologies. South Korea is close behind, pushing 6G technology and announcing plans to launch commercial 6G services by 2028. Japan views 6G technology as the cornerstone of its Society 5.0 vision.

Japan's Communication Technology Trajectory

Japan has a history of leading the world in communication technology. In 1993, as the world transitioned to 2G, Japan was among the first to develop related technology. They hoped this technology would propel them to global prominence, but Europe subsequently developed an alternative technology. When these technologies entered the market, Japan's market share compared to the European technology was 1:212.

In 1999, the 3G era began, and Japan again developed technologies for web browsing, photo transmission, and more, technologies with promising applications. However, as with the 2G era, they failed to become global standards. There were two main reasons: Firstly, the technology was too advanced. People were accustomed to using computers for these tasks, while mobile capabilities awaited the widespread adoption of smartphones. Secondly, 4G technology was already on the horizon.

From 2G to 3G and later 4G, Japan invested heavily in these areas, but failed to achieve desired results while incurring significant costs. Entering the 6G era, Japan initiated collaborations with the US. For example, in 2019, Japan's largest communication company, in partnership with Sony, signed an agreement with Intel to jointly develop 6G. Japan has set goals to complete major 6G research and development by 2025 and launch 6G technology in 2030.

China's Advantages

China's advantages are quite clear. In the current context of 5G technology, China enjoys a strong technological foundation and the world's most significant market. It boasts 365 million 5G smartphone users, the world's largest stand-alone 5G network, and ongoing expansion of its 5G infrastructure.

Simply put, 6G is essentially an upgraded version of 5G. China's 5G technology and existing infrastructure have already paved the way for 6G. When 6G technology matures or transitions from the laboratory, there is a vast and readily adaptable space for its application. Furthermore, China's significant lead in 6G technology patents underscores its strong technological prowess. In other words, China has the technology, the market, and the resources.

Reflecting on Japan's experience, from 2G to 5G, they possessed the technology but lacked a sizable market, ultimately leading to their downfall. Therefore, China is poised to navigate the 6G landscape with increasing stability and confidence.

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