China has taken a new step in the race for leadership in future communications technology. Scientists from Peking University and the City University of Hong Kong have developed the world’s first universal 6G-chip, which is capable of providing data transmission speeds of over 100 Gbps and operating at any frequency in the range from 0.5 to 115 GHz. This was reported by the South China Morning Post and Interesting Engineering with reference to a publication in the journal Nature.
The device is the size of a finger (11×1.7 mm) allows you to download, for example, 8K-video volume of 50 GB in seconds.
The modem uses a photon-electronic architecture, which allows different frequency bands to be combined into a single system.
The development solves a key problem of future 6G networks – spectrum fragmentation. Currently, equipment is created separately for low, medium and millimetre frequencies, which complicates implementation. The new chip is universal and can be used both in rural areas (for coverage at low frequencies) and in megacities (for ultrafast connections at high frequencies).
Previously, Japan has demonstrated prototypes transmitting data at 100Gbps over limited distances, and China has launched an experimental 6G network in 2024. However, it is China’s universal modem that has covered the entire frequency range for the first time, making it unique.
The next step is to integrate the technology into compact USB-format modules and adapt it for smartphones, base stations and Internet of Things devices. This will bring closer the mass adoption of 6G that experts expect in the 2030s.
China is cementing its leadership in 6G development by offering the world a unique solution that could change the mobile technology landscape. The breakthrough universal modem opens up opportunities for a digital revolution-from medicine to entertainment.