Canada joins international partners in endorsing 6G principles, aiming for faster and more secure wireless technologies, amidst concerns of Chinese dominance. (IT World Canada)
Canada has joined hands with a group of international partners, including the United States, Australia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, in backing the Joint Statement of Principles for the next generation of cellular technology, known as 6G.
6G is expected to be significantly faster than its predecessor, 5G, and will enable the development of new applications using the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and more.
The statement aims to advance the research and development and standardization of 6G networks. It emphasizes principles such as resilience, security by design, privacy interoperability, energy efficiency, and transparency. The principles also outline various standards to promote international cooperation.
This move is seen as an attempt by the U.S. and its allies to shape the future standards of 6G, amid concerns that China could dominate its rollout, similar to what happened with 5G, as reported by Axios.
In a statement, the White House emphasized the importance of these principles in building a more inclusive, sustainable, secure, and peaceful future, calling upon other governments, organizations, and stakeholders to join in supporting and upholding them.
Canada's endorsement of the Joint Principles for 6G will complement its efforts under the Telecommunications Reliability Agenda, aimed at improving the reliability of telecommunications services in the country.
Moreover, this endorsement builds on Canada's existing international cooperation efforts under the Global Coalition on Telecommunications, the Prague Proposals on Telecommunications Supplier Diversity, and the UK's Open RAN Principles, which Canada had previously endorsed in 2022.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne highlighted the importance of reliable and secure telecommunications services for Canadians, whether for personal connectivity or the digital economy. He expressed the government's commitment to these shared principles for 6G, ensuring that Canadians can benefit from the latest wireless technologies. He also emphasized the importance of collaboration with international partners and the industry to ensure wireless communications are secure and reliable in Canada and globally.
