TL; PhD
- LG successfully tested 6G THz data transmission at a distance of 100m.
- A special power amplifier is used to handle signal attenuation.
- 6G may not be available until at least 2028.
Although the universal 5G is still the dream of most smartphone users, LG said that it has taken an important step towards the development of 6G by transmitting the terahertz range (THz) within a distance of 100 meters or 328 feet outdoors in Berlin. ) data.
According to LG, the problem of 6G THz so far has been a rapid decline. The test solved this problem using a power amplifier developed in cooperation with Fraunhofer HHI and Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Solid State Physics. The amplifier can generate a stable signal up to 15dBm (decibel-milliwatt) in the frequency range of 155 to 175GHz.
LG added that 6G should become a global standard in 2025, but it is not expected to enter the commercial market until some time between 2029. Samsung’s goal is to provide 6G in 2028 with a maximum speed of 1Gbps, which is equivalent to the performance of fixed optical fiber.
The issue of 6G THz broadcasting reflects the issue of the 5G millimeter wave variant. Although millimeter wave currently offers the fastest cellular speeds, its coverage is so large that operators usually have to cover an area with a transmitter to make it reliable, and the technology usually does not exist outside of major urban centers. It is also easily blocked by buildings and may be affected by the weather, so the connection usually falls back to regular 5G or 4G.
5G and 6G improvements are usually related to future visions, such as high-fidelity augmented reality, common remote surgery, or self-driving cars that talk to each other. All these technologies need to minimize latency, which is difficult on any type of cellular network.