Having helped pioneer the global rollout of 5G networks with large investments in infrastructure and technological advances that enabled the rapid deployment of high-speed, low-latency mobile services, China is now setting its sights on 6G.
China Mobile, in collaboration with the Zhongguancun Pan American Institute of Information and Communications Technology, China Information Technology Mobile and smartphone maker Vivo, has unveiled a 6G baseband concept prototype system for the Sub7GHz frequency band.
As the world eagerly awaits the official launch of 6G in the coming years, China Mobile's latest demonstration highlights the progress made in this developing field. The prototype system is part of China Mobile's 6G “intelligence, computing and intelligence fusion technology platform”, reflecting deep integration of sensory, computing and communications technologies.
Powerful baseband capabilities: a step beyond 5G
China Mobile announced that the 6G baseband concept prototype system for the sub-7 GHz frequency band is a crucial component of its public test device. This system aims to facilitate the deep integration of intersensory computing and intelligence, as well as the integration of terrestrial and celestial networks.
At the heart of this new system is robust baseband capacity that is based on a cloud-based heterogeneous hardware architecture, and the system supports up to 100 Gbps throughput for container networks. This high performance is combined with an ultra-short transmission time interval (TTI) processing capability of 125 microseconds (μs), enabling faster data transmission and improved responsiveness.
The system architecture allows for a maximum interrupt response delay of less than 10 μs, contributing to its flexibility and reconfigurability. It supports eight data streams and 128 digital channels, and the single carrier bandwidth reaches 400 MHz, enabling real-time baseband throughput of up to 16.5 Gbps.
These features position the system at the forefront of 6G development, meeting the strict requirements of new technologies and service verifications, such as ultra-high-definition video and real-time data processing.
According to China Mobile, its new 6G baseband prototype is open and interoperable.
The system facilitates seamless integration between heterogeneous cloud-based hardware and terminal prototypes developed by Vivo, enabling efficient connection from base station to terminal. This capability supports streaming advanced services such as 3D video, likely a hallmark of the 6G era.
The open architecture of this system encourages collaboration and verification of key 6G technologies with industry partners. Interested parties can test and verify their 6G technologies alongside China Mobile's baseband prototype, thus creating an ecosystem around 6G development.
In addition to its baseband and openness capabilities, China Mobile's 6G baseband prototype system demonstrates great expansion potential.
The system is designed to handle a wide range of frequency bands, thanks to its integrated multi-band universal fronthaul module. This module connects to the baseband unit (BBU) via an ultra-high-speed common public radio interface (CPRI) and supports the transmission of intermediate frequency signals ranging from 0 to 12 GHz.
This flexible architecture allows the system to operate with various radio frequency (RF) interfaces, including those operating at low and medium frequencies, millimeter waves, visible light, and terahertz frequencies. The ability to handle multi-band signals not only improves system adaptability but also facilitates testing and verification of 6G components and baseband processing technologies in different frequency bands.
It is important to note that it takes about 10 years to deploy a new communications network, so commercial 6G networks are not expected before 2030. However, early advances like this serve as a critical pillar in the global race toward 6G.
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