China Mobile announces breakthrough in 6G technology

China Mobile has unveiled major progress in sixth-generation (6G) communication technology, marking a significant milestone in the global race for next-generation connectivity.

The announcement was made at the 2025 China Internet Conference, where company executives shared details of their achievements in both research and pilot deployment, Caliber.Az reports via Chinese media.

Cheng Jianjun, Deputy General Manager of China Mobile, stated that the company has allocated 39.1 billion yuan ($5.4 billion) toward R&D this year alone. He highlighted that China Mobile now operates the world’s largest 5G network, with over 2.4 million base stations, covering more than 90% of administrative villages in China and contributing to more than 300 international 5G standards, ranking first globally.

According to Cheng, China Mobile is leading four major national science and technology projects and has successfully developed ten signature technologies that define the emerging 6G standard. As part of its pilot programme, the company has deployed the world’s first small-scale 6G experimental network, currently operating across 10 base stations.

The experimental 6G network has demonstrated data transfer speeds of up to 280 Gbps, more than 14 times faster than theoretical 5G limits, and capable of transmitting a 50 GB file in just 1.4 seconds. Such speeds dramatically outperform current wired and wireless solutions, signalling a potential leap forward for industries reliant on ultra-high-speed, low-latency communication.

The news comes amid growing global competition in 6G development. U.S.-based Keysight Technologies and Japan’s NTT Innovative Devices recently set a world record for wireless data transmission in the sub-terahertz frequency band, achieving similar speeds and demonstrating 6G’s transformative potential.

While China Mobile's 6G network remains in the experimental stage and is not yet available for commercial use, the breakthrough underscores China’s strategic commitment to leading the next wave of telecommunications innovation.

Further testing and standardisation will be required before full-scale deployment, but industry experts say the technology could become a commercial reality as early as the 2030s.

By Vugar Khalilov