Mobile network technology has come a long way since merely facilitating mobile data and communication. In fact, it has progressed over five generations, with the fifth generation (5G) enabling individual users and enterprises to benefit from newly enhanced speeds and low-latency data transmission. From the introduction of private networking and edge computing to the ever-increasing number of connected devices around the world, modern-day wireless communication has grown to serve more industries and use cases than ever before. With the global coverage of 5G networks already at 25% of the population at the beginning of 2022, this expansion of scope has also led to 5G becoming the fastest-deployed wireless communication technology in history. 

As mobile network technology continues to become faster and more efficient, governments and corporations around the world are already hard at work developing the next generation—6G. With the speed of advancement increasing from generation to generation, the world is likely to commercialize this new technology as soon as 2030. Researchers have estimated that 6G can provide up to 100x the potential maximum speed of the current generation, along with pervasive connectivity that is unhindered by physical barriers and can handle more devices at a time. 6G aims to build on the foundation set by 5G, reducing its predecessor’s limitations and potentially supporting futuristic technologies such as holograms and unmanned vehicles.