It’s been nearly four years since 5G services were launched in the country. Indian telecom companies are constantly working to expand its reach and improve the service. Meanwhile, tech companies have their eyes set on the next major development: 6G. Although 6G will still take a few years to launch, telecom companies have already begun calculating its potential. 6G is expected to provide super-fast speeds, zero-lag internet, and support for advanced AI. However, to make this dream a reality, companies will have to spend heavily and do a lot of groundwork.
When companies transitioned from 4G to 5G, many companies simply implemented software updates using existing infrastructure. However, this will not be the case with 6G. Industry experts believe that simply changing software will not be enough for 6G; instead, it will require entirely new and expensive hardware.
In today’s world, AI apps, smart glasses, and connected gadgets are being widely used. This is why the pressure on networks is increasing daily. To meet the demand for 6G, companies will have to upgrade their entire systems.
Major network device manufacturers like Nokia and Ericsson believe that the arrival of 6G will bring a new wave of investment to the telecom sector. According to media reports, 6G will primarily operate on the 7GHz spectrum band, which is significantly more expensive than existing 5G bands. Companies are already facing heavy traffic and expenses, and the new spectrum bill could be a major blow to them.
The biggest technological challenge with 6G networks is that their high-frequency ranges don’t reach very far and have difficulty penetrating walls. To overcome this problem, companies will have to install numerous advanced antennas and additional radio equipment, which will be highly expensive.
Before entering the 6G world, telecom companies must complete their 5G work. This requires a 5G standalone network. In India, Reliance Jio has already transitioned to a standalone network, while Airtel and Vodafone Idea are currently working on it. Meanwhile, many companies in Europe still rely on older architectures, which will require major upgrades before 6G becomes available.