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China unveils world’s first ‘universal’ 6G chip 5,000 times faster than rural US speeds

Device can provide high-speed internet across all frequencies, potentially increasing service speed to 5,000 times current level in rural US

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Rural communities around the world often have to struggle with low-speed internet connections. Photo: AFP
Zhang Tongin Beijing
Chinese scientists have developed the world’s first “all-frequency” 6G chip that could help bridge the digital divide between rural and urban communities.
The technology is capable of delivering mobile internet speeds of over 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) across the entire wireless spectrum, including those frequency bands used in remote areas, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

In practical terms this equates to being able to transmit a 50GB high-definition 8K movie within seconds – potentially opening up a range of commercial and educational opportunities to those living in remote areas.

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At present the need to ensure widespread connectivity has resulted in a fragmented spectrum of frequencies and devices.

Some 5G mobile phones operate at around 3 gigahertz, satellites use 30 GHz and future applications such as holographic surgery may require frequencies up to 100 GHz, which means engineers have been forced to tackle each new challenge as it comes.

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But the team of researchers, led by scientists from Peking University and City University of Hong Kong, may render such piecemeal solutions obsolete.

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