Looking ahead: Ready or not, here comes 6G

Work on 6G is moving from concept to planning, even though 5G is still rolling out. By around 2026, researchers and standards bodies expect a clearer picture of what 6G will actually be: which radio technologies it will use, how deeply artificial intelligence will be built into networks, and how much 6G will depend on existing 5G infrastructure rather than replacing it outright.

The early discussion around 6G focuses less on headline speeds and more on what networks need to support by the mid-2030s: denser connectivity, more automation, and tight integration of cloud, edge computing and AI. For operators and vendors, the next few years are about sorting out which ideas are technically feasible, economically realistic and worth standardizing before another full cycle of investment begins.