Global Scans · 5G And 6G · Weekly Summary

• [New] The telecom industry deploys new generations of wireless communications roughly every 10 years, with 5G replacing 4G around 2020, and 6G expected to enter commercial use around 2030. Microwave Journal
• [New] Japan and South Korea, already 5G leaders, have started early R&D on 6G; Japan allocated ¥66 billion for 6G research and plans testbeds by 2025, while Korean carriers formed an alliance to develop 6G technologies with 1 Tbps target speeds. Bez Kabli
• [New] In Southeast Asia, Malaysia's U Mobile teamed with Huawei to launch a 5.5G innovation lab, and Thailand and Indonesia are expanding their 5G coverage in urban centers while eyeing 2026 timelines for 6G trials. Bez Kabli
• [New] The U.S. and China have already moved on 6 GHz (for Wi-Fi or 5G/6G), and industry groups warn that if Europe delays, it could fall behind in 6G. Bez Kabli
• [New] How key players in the global wireless ecosystem are shaping the standards and technologies that will link 5G-Advanced and enable future 6G intelligent networks. InterDigital, Inc.
• [New] Experts forecast continued heavy investment through 2026-2027 in 5G-Advanced upgrades, fiber backbones, and early 6G trials. Bez Kabli
• [New] In Washington, U.S. lawmakers renewed the FCC's spectrum auction authority through 2034 - after a lapse - and mandated identification of 800 MHz of new mid-band spectrum for 5G/6G, ensuring America stays on track in the global spectrum race. Bez Kabli
• [New] While 5G is still being deployed worldwide, 6G development began around 2020 and is expected to mature over the next decade. Techpoint Africa
• Executives like Nokia's CTO have been evangelizing 6G vision - noting future networks will unify sensing, AI and communications - but also tempering that 5G has plenty of runway left through the rest of this decade. / Poland Bez Kabli
• Europe's stance may be softening: EU regulators recently signaled they might ease merger rules for telecoms, given the intense investment requirements for 5G/6G and geopolitical desires for EU network sovereignty. Bez Kabli
• 5G/6G Networking: The global rollout of 5G continues apace: by early 2025 over 2.5 billion devices were on 5G networks, with projections reaching 8 billion in 2026. Medium
• The 6G wireless communication network will be the successor to 5G and is expected to begin launch in 2030. U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• 6G (expected in the 2030s) will evolve from 5G rather than start from scratch. Bez Kabli
• Decisions made today will define America's leadership in fifth-generation (5G), sixth-generation (6G), and future generations of advanced wireless technologies. Special Competitive Studies Project
• Expected to commence by 2030, the 6G rollout is likely to expand on the 5G SA infrastructure via software updates. TeckNexus
• Even as 5G wireless moves into the mainstream, technologists are already looking ahead to the next generation-6G, expected to come on stream in the 2030s. Optics & Photonics News
• As Turkey prepares for the commercial launch of 5G services in 2026, Turk Telekom is ramping up its infrastructure investments and simultaneously advancing its strategic vision for 6G. Daily Sabah
• Even as 5G global adoption accelerates, the telecom industry has its eyes on the horizon for 6G - the next generation of wireless expected by 2030. Bez Kabli
• As 5G continues to expand, the tech world has already started working on 6G, which is expected in 2030. Soup.io
• 6G could debut in 2028 for early users, and indeed companies are starting to sketch out 6G's contours even as 5G still rolls out. Bez Kabli
• 5G and 6G-enabled activities combined are projected to create $3.2 trillion in global growth by 2030. Economy Middle East
• The introduction of 5G and the arrival of 6G will have a significant impact on the global economy and the way we live. Soup.io

Last updated: 02 November 2025