Governments Commit to Tighten 6G Timeline

More than 20 nations agreed to join a 6G development program, which should deliver initial tangible progress within 12 months. The goal would be achieved by aligning research direction and establishing clear lines of communication.

The US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) revealed that the country is joined by nations from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Central America in committing to the 6G development timeline. Nations committed to the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security are embarking on an unprecedented level of international coordination on the future of communications technology, NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth said. The commitments recognise that 6G will be dramatically different from 5G, requiring a distinct approach covering security, innovation and the future competitiveness of each nation, Roth explained.

The nations involved are committing to a tight schedule whereby they intend to establish clear lines of communication between relevant agencies within the next month and begin work with the wider telecoms industry within three months. The latter timeline includes targets to hold initial meetings covering existing work on defining 6G and security matters, explore political and economic concerns, and identify potential barriers. Informal strategies are to be developed within six months, a goal to be achieved through expert-level discussions, the exchange of relevant research papers, or simply more candid intergovernmental dialogue.

Tangible discussions on advancing 6G leadership and security are projected to be held in person within 12 months, with talks to also include deciding next steps covering funding, using current relationships to accelerate the exchange of information, exploring potential cybersecurity risks and contributing to global standardisation of the next-generation infrastructure. The NTIA said that the Call to Action for 6G Leadership and Security advances US presidential goals to make the technology the foundation of future economic growth and security.