So, 5G is here, and hype about 6G is starting already. Terabyte speeds, supporting a Blade Runner type world (if that’s your thing!).
But here’s the thing. 5G and 6G, just like 3G and 4G before them, are still just enablers. We will get to the point where downloading or streaming a film super fast, or ubiquitous super HD interaction isn’t enough. Maybe I’m being cynical but part of me thinks ‘so what’.
To really leverage 6G and beyond requires increasing change in applications and services rather than in handheld devices themselves. Use cases are going to change : AI driven data crunching, analysis, and delivery of increasingly visual and complex services. Different and decentralised interfaces, with powerful edge and cloud capabilities. And yes, all this ubiquitous high volume data requires big speeds and availability.
But while its accepted at the moment that there are always applications and use cases that require even faster data transmission, it seem to me that the focus of ‘G’ ‘upgrade’ will move from transmission speed to infrastructure, back end processing, interface, and service delivery. It’s the intelligence of the service delivery that will change.
Maybe 7G, whatever that is, will be the last ‘G’ we need.