500 times faster than 5g! Japanese companies unveil 6g internet that can stream 5 HD movies at once

Where would we be without 5G internet? Not only did the revolutionary tech enable applications such as Netflix and Prime to become unequivocal household staples, but it also aided us in surviving the pandemic's remote work demands without losing our sanity. As we unravel the vast possibilities of 5G, pioneers are already tiptoeing into the realm of its prodigious successor: the legendary 6G.

A consortium of Japanese companies — DOCOMO, NTT, NEC and Fujitsu — have scripted history after unveiling one of the world's first high-speed 6G wireless devices. And boy, is it a doozy and a half!

This groundbreaking device boasts a mind-bending data transmission speeds of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps), eclipsing its 5G predecessor by a staggering 20 times. Moreover, this is 500 times faster than current 5G speeds, akin to transferring five HD movies every second!

For reference, most new smartphones are 5G-equipped, with average internet speeds ranging around 200 megabits per second (Mbps) in the United States. Theoretically, advancements in the 5G can pump its speeds up to a maximum of 10 Gbps, which would still be ten times slower than the speeds achieved in these nascent 6G experiments.

Such fantastic feats are possible because, unlike 5G which primarily operates within the lower frequency bands, 6G harnesses the untapped potential of higher-frequency bands between 100 GHz and 300 GHz. While information can be transferred faster at these new bands, environmental factors can be more of a nuisance affecting the flow of data, especially indoors.

However, this step up into new bands requires new infrastructure, meaning it will be a while before 6G can be usable for the general public. But once set up, it could pave the way for more revolutionary tech, such as mixed reality and enhanced virtual reality.

As the world eagerly anticipates the widespread adoption of 6G technology, Japan's pioneering efforts stand as a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of innovation in the digital age.