While engineers in most countries are still trying to install 5G networks, China has sent the ‘world’s first 6G’ test satellite into orbit.
It was launched, along with 12 other satellites, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Shanxi Province.
But while there is a huge buzz around what kind of exciting speeds 6G could bring, the telecoms industry hasn’t agreed on any specifications for the network yet, or even on the tech that was just shot into orbit.
The satellite is commercial but will be used for research and to experiment with 6G communications technology.
It will use high-frequency terahertz waves to achieve data-transmission speeds many times faster than 5G is thought to be capable of.
The satellite is also kitted out with crop disaster monitoring and forest fire prevention tech.
Apple has only just brought out its first 5G phone, and even by 2024, 5G is only predicted to cover up to 65 percent of the world’s population.
So, no need to start saving for a 6G phone just yet. The conspiracists are gonna love this one.
