Japan and Finland will conduct joint research and development of sixth-generation communications technology, looking to lead the creation of 6G standards in a field increasingly influenced by Chinese companies.
The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium and the University of Oulu-led 6G Flagship research programme signed the agreement yesterday (8 June) at the Global Digital Summit 2021 in Tokyo.
Growing interest
While 6G technology won’t have formal specifications for a number of years, momentum is growing as major industry players target launches in 2030.
In a recent white paper, the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology’s IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group predicted 6G technology would employ terahertz frequencies alongside the existing 5G spectrum, China Daily reported.
The Chinese government and industry experts outlined a plan in March to advance 6G between 2021 and 2025.
In February, a 6G research project was announced involving major European operators, while US operators previously committed to the Next G Alliance, a group developing and defining the technology.