Every decade or so, a new generation of cellular technology arrives, bringing with it faster speeds, novel experiences and added value for both consumers and enterprises. 2G introduced short message service (SMS) and mobile voice; 3G brought mobile data; 4G gave us mobile broadband; and 5G has provided a robust data fabric to support the high demands of modern mobile networks.
Though it may feel like 5G emerged just yesterday, nearly five years have passed since its launch, and the industry is already looking ahead to 6G. Early studies for 6G are set to commence in the second half of this year, with formal specifications expected to begin in early 2026, followed by commercial deployments around 2030.
This article examines the status of 5G adoption worldwide and its key applications. Furthermore, we will explore the innovative potential of 6G, addressing questions such as: What is the current status of 5G adoption globally? What innovations are part of 5G Advanced? What new technologies are planned for 6G? And what use cases are anticipated for 6G networks?
The state of 5G
The rollout of 5G has made significant strides, particularly in the consumer domain, enabling faster mobile broadband, enhanced gaming experiences and advanced augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) applications. However, it was also envisioned to address enterprise requirements through capabilities such as network slicing, private 5G networks and more. Despite these promises, 5G has not yet fully realized its potential in the enterprise sector.
One of the reasons for this slower adoption in enterprise applications is the prevalence of non-standalone (NSA) 5G networks. NSA leverages the existing 4G infrastructure for certain functions, limiting the full capabilities of 5G, such as ultra-reliable low-latency communication and enhanced mobile broadband. However, standalone (SA) 5G does not rely on 4G infrastructure, so it is crucial for unlocking the full potential of 5G in enterprise settings. So far, most SA launches are focused on improving network efficiency, as opposed to quality of service (QoS), network slicing or supporting new types of services and use cases.
5G Advanced
Building on the existing 5G technology, 5G Advanced aims to enhance enterprise use cases through a variety of new features. These include:
- Reduced capability (RedCap): Simplified and cost-effective 5G devices are suitable for internet-of-things applications and are also more power-efficient. RedCap targets applications such as wearables, smart meters and industrial sensors.
- Ambient IoT: Offering seamless integration of a multitude of IoT devices into the network, ambient IoT enables smart environments for applications such as smart cities, smart homes and industrial settings.
- Artificial-intelligence integration: Increased use of AI throughout the network optimizes performance, improves energy efficiency and enables new applications.
Recent releases of 5G Advanced specifications have introduced, improved and finalized several enterprise-specific features. These advancements include the integration of private and public networks, enhanced positioning systems and support for non-terrestrial networks.
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New 6G technologies
6G has the potential to introduce many novel technologies, several of which have not been developed for mobile networks or commercially deployed. Some of these were discussed for 5G Advanced, paving the way for their introduction in 6G. Identifying the primary use cases for 6G is key to determining the technologies that can build upon current technologies for 5G systems. This section illustrates a few of these concepts that can enhance how consumers and enterprises use 6G networks.
Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)
ISAC is a new concept that aims to combine the current communication model of mobile network operation with radar-like sensing capabilities. While there have been discussions and several academic and research and development studies on joint communications and sensing in the past, ISAC is a new entrant in the cellular technology race.
Currently, sensing and communication are performed on different systems. 6G aims to create a system that can perform both using shared radio hardware and existing spectrum allocated to mobile networks.
Of all the 6G features being discussed today, ISAC has the most potential for innovation. Some of the use cases outlined in Figure 1 include object detection and tracking.
Most use cases focus on object tracking and will gradually evolve to improve network operation. As ISAC becomes deployed on a larger scale, more innovative use cases will surface, such as biosensing and environmental monitoring.
Figure 1: Potential 6G ISAC applications and technologies: green = high priority, light red = lower priority and red = longer term (Source: ABI Research)
ISAC is an ambitious addition to 6G but a very suitable, innovative and valuable one. Additional research is required to formulate a clear return-on-investment strategy before this technology is commercially deployed.
Investment levels required to enable ISAC use cases commercially, especially for large-scale deployments, still need to be fully understood. Adjacent concepts such as sensor fusion, AI/machine learning (ML), data processing and computing platforms will help ISAC to become commercially viable, and sensing information can also assist other use cases, such as digital twins.
Native AI
AI/ML technologies have found their way into many different industries, and the telco business is no exception. The industry is already looking at ways to implement these technologies to address a number of use cases. The deployment of AI is widely expected to play a crucial role in unlocking the potential of the next-generation network. The technology will allow the network to dynamically adapt to changing user demands, optimize network resources and enable innovative services and applications.
6G networks are poised to leverage AI across three types of use cases:
- Network management: Network optimization and automation necessitate the use of AI to enable 6G network management, autonomous operations, lower carbon emissions and enhanced user experiences through improved network performance. Key use cases include dynamic spectrum allocation, intelligent radio resource allocation, beamforming optimization, network slicing and self-healing networks.
- Customer experience: These use cases focus on the application of AI to enhance the user experience and enable new services powered by 6G, aiming to create more engaging, immersive and customized experiences for end users. Typical examples include personalized content delivery, AR/VR applications, autonomous driving, intelligent virtual assistants and more.
- Monetization: These use cases are key for unlocking new revenue streams and enabling operators to differentiate their 6G services. Examples include dynamic pricing and hyper-personalized services, allowing service providers to create new services, based on QoS and differentiated services. These use cases could benefit from leveraging standardized network interfaces and application programming interfaces to better utilize 6G network capabilities.
Figure 2: Potential 6G native AI applications and technologies: green = high priority, light red = lower priority and red = longer term (Source: ABI Research)
Ubiquitous connectivity
Ubiquitous connectivity is perhaps the most ambitious of all the proposed technologies and has never been achieved by previous networks. It refers to the uninterrupted connectivity throughout rural and urban environments, including indoor and outdoor locations. 6G will be designed as a “network of networks” to bring together heterogeneous access technologies, such as satellite, cellular and Wi-Fi, to create consistent connectivity for users. 5G is designed this way from a device perspective, but 6G will augment this value proposition from the network side.
As the telecommunications sector edges closer to 6G’s expected launch around 2030, it promises to enhance connectivity and drive innovation. Innovative technologies such as ISAC and native AI will help enable new use cases and further monetize the network for the consumer and enterprise domains.
6G’s commercial success is expected to depend on the ability of 5G Advanced to enhance and evolve existing network capabilities. The market is likely to experience the advanced 6G technologies outlined above about two to five years after the commercial rollout of 6G networks.
About the author
Industry analyst Larbi Belkhit is part of ABI Research’s strategic technologies research group focused on 5G, 6G and Open RAN research. He is responsible for producing qualitative analysis and market forecasts on indoor and outdoor network infrastructure, fixed wireless access, massive MIMO and other trends impacting network technologies.
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