Next-generation tech

Govt's focus on 6G will enable R&D

Just a few months after the formal launch of commercial 5G service, India is set to commit resources to the development of 6G technologies with the release of a vision document and the inauguration of a 6G test-bed for research & development (R&D). However, 6G — the successor to 5G — is unlikely to be rolled out before 2030. By then India will be the largest cellular market in the world in terms of both users and data consumption. Getting a foot in the door early could give India the leverage to mould 6G standards in advantageous ways, and also to generate intellectual property (IP) that could make it a world leader as 6G evolves. Every “G” from 2G onwards can be described as a set of globally agreed benchmarks that allow for standardised networks which talk to one another and equipment that can be used everywhere. R&D at every stage has been focused on developing ways to transfer data more efficiently, and also to develop new use-cases. The early birds in this process have received patents worth trillions.

India came late to the table in each iteration from 2G to 5G, although it possesses both an enormous domestic market and a large base of engineers who could have contributed materially to R&D and setting standards. Indeed, 5G was the first time that there was a concerted attempt by policymakers to encourage R&D. Instead of playing catch up in 6G, India seeks to be actively involved from the early stages. It may be noted that every “G” iteration has led to enormous improvements in network performance. 5G, for example, is magnitudes quicker than 4G. As such, 5G enables real-time IoT applications, which were inconceivable with 4G. The promise of 6G is that it will be 100 times faster than 5G and that would make barely imaginable applications possible. For example, a 6G network could enable a host of autonomous cars to talk to one another in real time as they navigate crowded urban landscapes. Virtual reality without lags could become a reality, so to speak. So would edge computing, where AI is deployed extensively. Moreover, 6G aims to be more energy-efficient and better at using whatever spectrum is available for the network. It would have huge positive externalities.

India will set up six technology-innovation groups to explore the possibilities and drive R&D into possible directions that 6G could go. The groups will identify priority areas for research involving industry, academia, and service providers in this process. The R&D would encompass all areas from mmWave and Terahertz communications, to fibre-broadband, remote operations, multi-sensor man-machine interfaces and devices leveraging edge cloud computing. By creating IP and by contribution to global standards forums, India could become a world leader at 6G and not just a large market. Presumably the policy will encompass ways to find the necessary resources to fund these ambitious R&D plans.

Getting early into the 6G game is an excellent initiative. Of course, this must be followed through with robust policy implementation. Another thing that policymakers must ensure is that roll-outs of commercial networks are not delayed. In every prior iteration, including 5G, India has been late in terms of network roll-outs due to complex telecom policy and the resulting litigation. Policymakers need to learn from those missteps and ensure this doesn’t happen in future.