AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile race towards 6G, but there's a catch you need to know

If you're on 5G, you're part of the roughly 25% of the world with access to cutting-edge mobile networks, while billions still have to wait for even a taste of it. Yup, many are still on 4G and 3G.

Soon, however, 5G will be yesterday's news, as 6G is approaching quickly. Before the end of 2030, 6G has to have its global technical standards finished, so that equipment makers, carriers, and governments can begin large-scale deployment planning.

As you may've heard, 6G is the next step after 5G, and it promises huge improvements in speed, reliability, and efficiency. It also aims to deliver ultra-low latency, which means far less delay when data travels between devices. Latency is measured in fractions of a second, and with 6G the goal is to cut it down to almost nothing. This matters for things like real-time monitoring, remote surgery, or advanced virtual reality, where even tiny delays can cause problems.



The speeds are expected to be extraordinary. While most people on strong 5G networks today see speeds between 100 and 500 megabits per second (Mbps), 6G could reach up to 1 terabit per second (Tbps). That is about 2,000 times faster. At that rate, massive downloads or streaming ultra-high-quality video would happen instantly. It also makes futuristic applications possible, such as lifelike 3D video calls or advanced artificial intelligence tools that rely on instant network responses.



Of course, these jaw-dropping claims come from theoretical research into what future networks might achieve under ideal conditions, not what everyday users will actually experience. In theory, this speed is possible for several reasons.

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