T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T are headed for a 6G crunch they can’t ignore

Now, do you wonder why we even need 6G? I’ve talked about this before (like when T-Mobile reportedly started shutting down parts of its 4G network), but the short version is simple – new networks bring new capabilities. Here’s what 6G unlocks:

• Wild speeds: Up to 1 Tbps. That’s roughly 100× faster than 5G.
• Tiny delays: Latency under 1 microsecond – 5G sits around 1 ms.
• Huge device capacity: Up to 10 million connected devices per square kilometer.
• Better global reach: Stronger satellite integration to fill rural gaps.

Commercial deployments are expected around 2030, with early adopters including the US, Europe, Japan, China, South Korea, the GCC region, Vietnam, and India. By 2040, the forecast hits 5+ billion 6G connections, while billions of 4G and 5G users will still remain.

Traffic demand will explode, too:

• 1,700 EB/month in a low-growth scenario
• 3,900 EB/month in a high-growth scenario

That’s around 140–360 GB per mobile line every month by 2040. And the biggest spike? Power users – the same 10% who currently generate 60–70% of all traffic. By 2040, this level of usage becomes “normal behavior.”

Urban areas are already pushing limits: they create 83% of global traffic while covering only 5% of land, with dense downtown zones using almost 700× more data than rural areas. That’s exactly where mid-band capacity becomes mission-critical.

What this actually means for your future phone experience

This entire report is basically a sneak peek into what using your phone will feel like in the 2030s. But none of the cool 6G stuff – the speeds, the ultra-low lag, the smart devices everywhere – will work properly without enough mid-band spectrum.

If countries don’t free it up, 6G might technically “launch,” but you’d still deal with unreliable connections, slower speeds, and the exact same city bottlenecks people complain about today with 5G.

And for major US networks like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, this is a pretty loud warning. The study says they’ll need 2–3× more mid-band than they have today. Without it, they simply won’t be able to handle the traffic spike expected between 2035 and 2040.

A change in the landscape

Looking ahead, I believe the carriers that start preparing early – like T-Mobile – will be the ones that can deliver a true 6G experience when the time comes. That includes lobbying for spectrum, planning long-term network strategies, and figuring out how to rearrange the spectrum they already control.

Whoever gets ahead now stands to lead the next decade of wireless. And that ultimately affects you, too. At the end of the day, picking a carrier comes down to reliable coverage where you actually live, work, and spend time. The ones that plan for 6G early are the ones most likely to offer that reliability.