Context: Recently, the Prime Minister unveiled a vision document for the rollout of 6G communications technology in India by 2030.

What is 6G?

• While, technically, 6G does not exist today, it has been conceived as a far superior technology promising internet speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G

• As opposed to 5G, at its peak can offer internet speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, 6G promises to offer ultra-low latency with speeds up to 1 terabit per second.

Applications

• 6G use cases will include remote-controlled factories, constantly communicating self-driven cars and smart wearables taking inputs directly from human senses.

Limitations

• While 6G promises growth, it will simultaneously have to be balanced with sustainability since most 6 G-supporting communication devices will be battery-powered and can have a significant carbon footprint

About Bharat 6G Project

• India’s 6G project will be implemented in two phases, the first one from 2023 to 2025 and the second one from 2025 to 2030.

• The government has also appointed an apex council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardization, identification of the spectrum for 6G usage, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, and figure out finances for research and development, among other things.

• A key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as Terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet, artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G devices.

Phases

• In phase one, support will be provided to explorative ideas, risky pathways and proof-of-concept tests.

• Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create implementational IPs and testbeds leading to commercialisation as part of phase two.

Objective

• It aims to enable India to become a leading global supplier of intellectual property, products and solutions of affordable 6G telecom solutions and identify priority areas for 6G research based on India’s competitive advantages.

Significance

• The project will provide an R&D platform to start-ups, researchers, industry and other broadband wireless applications in India like e-Governance, smart cities, rural Broadband or other Digital India initiatives under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

6G across the world

• South Korea has outlined a 6G research and development plan with Rs.1200 crore worth of investments in the first phase running till 2025.

• It aims for attaining global leadership, developing key original technologies, making significant contributions to international standards and patents, and building a strong foundation for 6G research and industry.

• In Japan, the Integrated Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Forum has published its Vision 2030 white paper for 6G, which laid out key technology directions for infrastructure evolution in four dimensions: cognitive capacity, responsiveness, scalability, and energy efficiency.