LG Electronics (LG) announces the successful wireless transmission and reception of 6G terahertz (THz) data over 500 meters, the longest distance recorded in any 6G test conducted in an outdoor, urban area to date. Run jointly with LG U+, the test took place on November at LG Sciencepark in Magok, Seoul. The strong result demonstrates LG’s continuing leadership in 6G telecommunications research and development.

This latest achievement follows the company’s successful 2022 test, when it sent and received 6G THz data wirelessly over a distance of 320 meters outdoors at the Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz Institute in Berlin, Germany. LG and Fraunhofer cooperated to develop core equipment for 6G transmission and reception, including a multi-channel power amplifier and a receiver low-noise amplifier, which helped optimize performance and improve output by more than 50 percent.

The recent test at LG Sciencepark is significant not only because LG increased the wireless transmission and reception distance to 500 meters – the standard distance for high-powered base stations in urban areas – but also because it verified the usability of 6G in various ‘real world’ communication scenarios, including building-to-building, building-to-ground terminal and ground-to-ground terminals. The company is now one step closer to commercializing 6G THz communications.

The evolution of 5G, 6G telecommunications will enable significantly increased data rate as well as ultra-low latency, high-reliability data transmission, and the combination of communications and AI, and communications and sensing. In addition to facilitating immersive multimedia experiences, the advanced capabilities of 6G will be crucial for several of LG’s ‘future’ businesses, including autonomous driving and mobility solutions, the metaverse, smart homes and smart factories.

Discussions on 6G network standardization are expected to begin around 2025, with commercialization slated for 2029. LG’s investment in R&D, strategic partnerships and successful technology demonstrations point to the company’s readiness and determination to lead the global transition to 6G.

In 2019, LG together with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) established the LG Electronics-KAIST 6G Research Center; the first industry-university cooperative research facility of its kind in Korea. The company continues to secure 6G core technologies by working cooperatively with leading universities from all over the world. LG has also forged R&D partnerships for the development of 6G core technology with various institutes, including Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), and Keysight Technologies.

LG is the only Korean company to be named chair of the Next G Alliance, a wireless technology group led by the American Telecommunications Industry Association (ATIS). LG has held the role since 2021, overseeing a variety of projects aimed at discovering use cases for 6G communications technology and establishing technical requirements.

In October, the company will share its key achievements in 6G technology development at the ‘LG 6G Tech Festa,’ which will be co-hosted by LG U+.

“We will continue to cooperate with research institutions and tech companies, and conduct our own advanced R&D, to dominate 6G standard technology and solidify our technological leadership in this important field,” said Dr. Kim Byoung-hoon, CTO and executive vice president of LG Electronics.