6G Photo: VCG

The nation is eyeing the formation of independently developed 6G technical solutions by 2029, according to a notice recently issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) that calls for the organizing of a pilot action plan for ministry-province collaborative innovation in 6G development, according to CCTV News on Thursday.

The action plan proposes that by 2029, through the implementation of the ministry-province collaborative pilot action plan for 6G innovation, a number of independently developed 6G technical solutions will be formed, a range of promising new business application scenarios will be cultivated, and a variety of new terminal products will emerge, providing strong support for the commercial deployment of 6G wireless technology.

Pan Helin, a member of the Information and Communication Economy Expert Committee of the MIIT, told the Global Times on Thursday that the focus of the ministry-province collaborative pilot program is to achieve breakthroughs in 6G technology as well as the exploration and development of application scenarios, which will decide whether new investment will follow.

"To do that requires mobilizing all relevant parties, leveraging the strengths of different provinces and departments, and fostering collaborative innovation," Pan said.

China has made fresh progress in promoting the development of 6G wireless technology. In May, the Xinhua News Agency reported that the country "has taken a step forward in next-generation telecommunications by approving trial spectrum in the 6GHz band for 6G technology development."

On June 1, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Lecheng penned a piece in the People's Daily, stating that the ministry has made deployment in several key emerging sectors, including humanoid robots, 6G and quantum technologies, while some 20 localities have rolled out related policies to develop industries of the future and pilot demonstration zones have been established in localities including Beijing, Shanghai and East China's Zhejiang Province.

The MIIT pilot action plan will promote research on converged technical solutions and system architectures integrating communications with artificial intelligence (AI), satellite internet, wireless sensing, and supporting the development of 6G standards and industrial research and development (R&D), per the CCTV News report.

It will also strengthen industrial R&D on 6G communication equipment such as base stations, core networks, transport networks, and specialized instruments to support 6G commercial deployment.

The pilot action plan will also enhance the cultivation of 6G‑related industries including new types of terminals, chip components, operating systems, and commercial aerospace, and facilitate the formation of local 6G specialty industrial clusters.

Targeting potential 6G scenarios such as immersive communications, the low-altitude economy, embodied intelligence, and smart oceans, the action plan will adapt measures to local conditions in cultivating 6G application scenarios, per the notice.

The plan is designed to make forward-looking arrangements for 6G technologies and application scenarios, promote the integrated development of AI and other technologies with 6G, and achieve the convergence of computing, networking, and electric power, according to Pan.

"In particular, with regard to application scenarios, the 6G technology is still in a technology storage period. Whether 6G requires a new round of investment depends entirely on the richness of its application scenarios. Without the support of demand from application scenarios, there is no need to undertake a new round of investment in communication infrastructure upgrades," Pan said.

For future 6G deployment, applications must come first, followed by infrastructure rollout, so as to avoid a decline in returns on investment in communication infrastructure, the expert said.

China's first Pre-6G test network was officially put into operation in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, in April, according to a statement on the city government's website.

The MIIT said that it will organize experts to evaluate and demonstrate the 6G innovation work plans compiled by various localities, and approve for implementation those work plans that conform to the national 6G overall layout in accordance with established procedures. 

In the meantime, the ministry will organize the IMT‑2030 (6G) promotion group to carry out 6G technology tests in an orderly manner, supporting pilot regions to actively participate in the construction of testing environments, the formulation of test plans, and the sharing of test results.