Huawei begins researching 6G in Canadian lab

Earlier this week (13 August) The Logic reported that Huawei has already launched research into 6G. 6G is the next generation of wireless technology, that will eventually supersede 5G.

5G is not expected to be a widely used mainstream technology for another year or two, at least.

The publication said that the forward-looking research is being conducted in Huawei’s primary research centre in Ottawa, Canada. It’s reported that the Chinese company is working with more than 13 universities and research institutes on the project.

Canada has yet to declare whether or not telecommunications firms will be allowed to use Huawei’s equipment in the country’s 5G networks, but the Canadian federal government will make a decision by the end of autumn.

Huawei isn’t the first firm to start preparing for the launch of 6G, although the technology isn’t expected to become a reality until 2030, again, at the very least.

The technology will improve on the weaknesses and limitations of 5G, some of which we have yet to encounter(but others, we are well aware of – the cost, for instance), during 5G’s slow and steady roll-out.

In April of this year, Finland’s University of Oulu launched an eight-year research programme called 6Genesis, which conceptualises what 6G will look like and what it will be capable of facilitating.

In June, researchers at Virginia Tech also began researching the subject of 6G, and believe that the 5G system that will be widely available in five years’ time will be the “first step toward a fully-fledged 6G”.

Outside of academia, some of Huawei’s competitors have also got the ball rolling, although that’s understandable as these companies are having a considerably easier time launching 5G than the Chinese technology giant, which has faced difficulties in both the UK and USA.

Of Huawei’s competitors looking into 6G, naturally there’s Samsung.

In June, the company announced that its Advanced Communications Research Centre in southern Seoul was expanded to lead research on the 6G network.

Way back in January 2019, LG opened a 6G research centre within the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to embark on an R&D plan for 6G, with hopes of leading the future market.

Chief technology officer of LG said: “LG will enhance research on telecom network technologies to be able to lead global standardisations for the sixth-generation network.”