Chinese companies plan to bring 6G networks into commercial use by 2030

China Forecast: 6G Will Arrive in 2030

During a conference organized by the Shanghai Stock Exchange, senior research fellow of the China Association for Information and Communication Technology and Mobile Communications (ICTM), Sun Shaohui, stated that fifth‑generation network technology will be replaced by 6G around 2030. This coincides with the time when international standards for 6G are expected to be officially adopted.

What’s New in 6G
Today the industry has reached consensus on key development directions and use scenarios for 6G:

Scenario Description
Integration of Sensors and Connectivity Combining sensors, IoT devices, and network nodes into a single infrastructure.
AI and Connectivity Integration In‑edge data processing that enables rapid decision making without cloud reliance.
Space, Air, and Ground Integration A platform covering ground stations, aircraft, and satellites for continuous coverage.

An expert from China Mobile Communications Group, Tong En, emphasized that 6G will promote “deep integration of communication means, sensors, computing nodes, and AI,” and will provide expanded coverage in space, air, and on the ground. This will create a unified physical infrastructure, turning the network into a platform for service aggregation.

Technical Benefits
- Speed – significant increase in throughput compared to 5G.
- Latency – reduction of latency to microsecond levels.
- Scalability – ability to serve millions of devices simultaneously without quality loss.
- Personalization – flexible tuning of service distribution to meet individual user needs.

China as a Leader
Tong En noted that China has already taken the lead in 5G. To secure a position at the 6G level, the country must address several challenges:

1. Develop practical applications and business models.
2. Establish new technological standards.
3. Create an industrial ecosystem for mass equipment production.
4. Define mechanisms for global network deployment.

China began 6G research in 2018, and the transition from scientific experiments to standards and commercial manufacturing was officially announced in September 2024. If all plans are executed, 2030 will become a key milestone for launching sixth‑generation networks.