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Sam Benzacar, of Anatech Electronics, an RF and microwave filter company, has
published his
November 2024 newsletter that, along with timely news items,
features his short op-ed entitled "6G
Is on the Horizon, But Don't Hold Your Breath." In it, he explains why even
though the term "6G" is being bandied about in the news these days, we are still
a long way off until its benefits begin to appear in actual hardware. Per Sam, "The technology aims to achieve terabit-per-second data rates, microsecond latency,
and coverage that extends from the ocean floor to space. These capabilities would
enable applications far beyond what's possible with 5G, including holographic communications,
high-precision digital twins, and immersive extended reality without external devices."
Do we even have holographic communications today, in any form (we do have hol[low]
communications from politicians and media stars). Talk of the 2030s seems way
far off, but that's what we said about the year 2000, then 2025, and yet here we
are already. The question now is, who among those reading this (my own old self
included) will still be around in 2030?
A Word from Sam Benzacar - 6G Is on the Horizon, But Don't Hold Your Breath
 By Sam Benzacar
It's been eight years since the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and
it's a long way from meeting its intended goals. This means it's very likely that
6G won't be realized by 2023 as most of the industry hoped. We should not be surprised,
as 6G (and 5G) are enormously complex and multi-faceted in scope and require advances
in everything from semiconductor technologies to network design.
The technology aims to achieve terabit-per-second data rates, microsecond latency,
and coverage that extends from the ocean floor to space. These capabilities would
enable applications far beyond what's possible with 5G, including holographic communications,
high-precision digital twins, and immersive extended reality without external devices.
Many global initiatives are underway to make 6G a reality. For example, China's
Ministry of Science and Technology launched a national 6G research project in Asia
in 2021. South Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)
has been developing core 6G technologies since 2019. The European Union's Project
Hexa-X, led by Nokia and Ericsson, represents one of the most comprehensive 6G research
initiatives to date.
In the U.S., the FCC is working on identifying and allocating spectrum for future
6G use. It is also exploring regulatory frameworks to ensure the secure and efficient
integration of 6G technologies into existing infrastructure. DoD is investing in
developing 6G technologies with potential military applications. Numerous universities
are engaged in 6G research, exploring fundamental concepts and developing innovative
solutions for various aspects of 6G technology. Their research focuses on advanced
materials, signal processing, artificial intelligence, and network security
Researchers have also made progress in terahertz communications that offer enormous
bandwidth potential but face challenges with signal propagation and atmospheric
absorption. Recent advances in metamaterials and novel antenna designs are also
helping to overcome these limitations. Unlike previous generations, 6G networks
will likely incorporate A, enabling intelligent network optimization, predictive
maintenance, and automated resource allocation.
So, as we move closer to the 2030s, the pace of 6G research and development will
continue to accelerate. While many technical challenges remain, progress thus far
suggests that what's proposed for this next generation is mostly achievable. Just
don't expect it by 2030.
 U.S. Anti-satellite System Near Completion
The U.S. will significantly enhance its space defense capabilities by deploying
Meadowlands, a new anti-satellite system, in 2025. This ground-based system, estimated
to cost $219 million, uses jamming to disrupt adversary satellite communications,
posing a threat to China's reliance on this technology for its SIGINT and ocean
surveillance satellites. Meadowlands builds on the existing Counter Communications
System (CCS) capabilities, which allows the U.S. military to disrupt enemy satellite
links in real-time. With 16 CCS platforms deployed globally, Meadowlands offers
a more portable, automated, and efficient jamming solution. Its mobility, achieved
through wheeled trailers, makes it harder to locate and counter. At the same time,
its ability to selectively restore or disrupt satellite operations adds a layer
of versatility and minimizes detection risks.
 Microwaves Power Breakthrough in Efficient Plastic
Recycling
Researchers at West Virginia University are pioneering a method to break down
polypropylene (P.P.) plastic into its original building blocks for reuse. Funded
by the U.S. Department of Energy, this innovative approach uses microwave radiation
to heat a catalyst, transferring heat to plastic waste. This technique allows for
the breakdown of P.P. at lower temperatures than traditional methods, offering a
more efficient and precise way to "upcycle" plastic and reduce environmental impact.
 Starlink Aims to Deliver Gigabit-per-Second
Speeds
SpaceX seeks FCC approval to enhance Starlink's Gen2 system for gigabit-speed
broadband service by lowering satellite altitudes, adjusting orbital planes, and
implementing advanced hardware with improved beamforming and processing capabilities.
While aiming to expand spectrum usage across Ka-, V-, and E-bands for mobile and
fixed services, SpaceX faces regulatory challenges, including previous FCC denials
and objections from competitors. Despite these obstacles, the company remains focused
on improving network performance and extending high-speed internet access to underserved
communities worldwide.
 FCC Dives into a "Single Network" Future
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel envisions merging space-based and terrestrial networks
for universal connectivity. Despite billions in federal funding, America's digital
divide persists, with 15 million households lacking adequate internet, which has
worsened since the recent end of the Affordable Connectivity Program. The FCC's
proposed Supplemental Coverage from Space framework would integrate fiber, cellular,
wireless, and satellite broadband into a unified network, eliminating dead zones
and maintaining service during outages. This plan requires advancing space infrastructure,
developing new policies for orbital debris, and repurposing spectrum from other
federal agencies.
Anatech Electronics Introduces a New Line of Suspended Stripline and
Waveguide Type RF Filters
Check out Our Filter Products
Cavity Band Pass Filters
LC Band Pass Filters Cavity Bandstop/Notch Filter
About Anatech Electronics
Anatech Electronics, Inc. (AEI) specializes in the design and manufacture of
standard and custom RF and microwave filters and other passive components and subsystems
employed in commercial, industrial, and aerospace and applications. Products are
available from an operating frequency range of 10 kHz to 30 GHz and include cavity,
ceramic, crystal, LC, and surface acoustic wave (SAW), as well as power combiners/dividers,
duplexers and diplexers, directional couplers, terminations, attenuators, circulators,
EMI filters, and lightning arrestors. The company's custom products and capabilities
are available at www.anatechelectronics.com.
Contact:
Anatech Electronics, Inc.
70 Outwater Lane
Garfield, NJ 07026
(973)
772-4242
sales@anatechelectronics.com
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