6G standardisation: Work in progress, proceed with caution

6G's success hinges on rigorous standardisation to ensure seamless global connectivity, interoperability, and India's leadership in next-gen telecom.

- BY PRATIMA HARIGUNANI

Can we imagine a smooth and safe train ride when the rail tracks change in size every few miles? Can we stop being frustrated when our chargers do not plug in the sockets of the walls of a foreign city? Can we stop reminding others to follow 'that' font size when they share documents? Can a beautiful ballet go smoothly if every dancer listens to a different song?

The answer is often suffixed with a you-got-to-bekidding-me-look, 'No'. So why should it be any different for the drive on a 6G fast lane just around the corner?

6G standardisation explains a lot of that, No. especially as these standards are not just about the spadework for this new communication railroad but also the couplers, ballasts, and grooves that will define connectivity, safety, and interoperability in a big way.

STANDARDS MATTER

The standardisation process for each network generation, including 6G, formalises R&D advancements to establish global standards and specifications, making the network tangible, explains Agnivesh Tripathy, senior analyst at Everest Group. "6G standardisation is critical as it will define the baseline performance of networks and devices, lay down the equipment specifications, mandate a structured adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), imbibe sustainability principles as fundamental components of the network, define self-sustaining and healing network capabilities, and enable use-cases across the digitalphysical continuum."

But before delving into 6G, it is vital to recognise the role of 5G Advanced, the next evolution of 5G, suggests Sylwia Kechiche, Senior Director - Industry Analysis at Opensignal.