Advancement of 6G Telecommunications Technology

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a request for comment on how U.S. government policies can support the development of next-generation 6G technology. Secure and reliable communications services are vital to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security. The wireless industry is beginning to plan for the development of 6G, and the U.S. has already joined like-minded partners in establishing joint principles to shape the future of this technology. NTIA’s new Request for Comment (RFC) seeks input to inform future U.S. government engagement in support of 6G development and deployment. The RFC asks questions about how to enable 6G success, research and development, and 6G safety, security and environmental concerns. Questions include:

• How can the U.S. Government ensure that the benefits of 6G technology extend to all segments of society?  
• When is 6G technology expected to begin lab and field trials and then become commercially available? What developments in 6G technology could accelerate replacement of obsolete technologies?  
• How could 6G improve network resiliency during disaster and recovery operations, such as in hurricane response and other natural and man-made disasters that impact network performance?