LG Successfully Tests 6G Network Outdoors; Commercial 6G Networks to Commence in 2029

| Published: Friday, September 16, 2022, 12:11 [IST]

India is currently building 5G infrastructure and trials will begin soon. At the same time, LG Electronics has successfully tested 6G terahertz (THz) data transmission over 320 meters outdoors. The successful testing of 6G is a landmark and could push the commercialization of 6G networks both indoors and outdoors.

LG Successfully Tests 6G Network Over 320 Meters Outdoors

LG 6G Tests Successful

The LG Electronics 6G testing was done at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) in Berlin, Germany over a distance of 320 meters. Previously, the South Korean tech giant had conducted the 6G trials over a distance of 100 meters outdoors in August 2022.

"With the success of our latest demonstration, we are one step closer to realizing 6G speeds of 1 terabit (TB) per second in both indoor and outdoor urban areas," said Dr. Kim Byoung-hoon, CTO and executive vice president of LG Electronics.

He also said that 6G will be a major driver of future businesses and new user experiences. It looks like there's no turning back now as LG Electronics says it will further continue exploring and experimenting with the 6G network.

How Powerful is 6G?

As the next-gen network, 6G will be immensely faster than 5G. LG Electronics claim that the 6G network will boost all kinds of innovations, including ultra-realistic mobile holograms, ambient computing, AR and VR, and expand what IoT can do.

LG, Fraunhofer HHI, and Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF) have teamed up for the trials. The 6G network tested here uses short-range ultra-wideband frequencies and could have power loss as it travels over long distances.

Together, they are working to develop a power amplifier to increase the transmission strength for longer distances. The trials have also used a low-noise amplifier to filter disturbances, which will enhance the quality of the incoming calls.

Presently, India's 5G rollout is expected to begin in the coming weeks with a wider rollout in 2023. On the other hand, LG says 6G network standardization is expected to begin in 2025, and commercialization of the network to happen around 2029. Hopefully, India will have a solid 5G network base by then.