While 5G continues to expand across Europe and many other parts of the world, the next generation of mobile technology is already being developed: 6G. The new technology is expected to become a reality towards the end of this decade. But what could the 6G network mean for music fans and, in particular, for internet radio and radio streaming?
What Is the 6G Network?
6G is the successor to 5G and is being developed internationally under the designation IMT-2030. The goal is not simply to provide much faster mobile internet. Low latency, high reliability and extensive connectivity are also important aspects of the development of the next generation of mobile networks.
The technical ambitions for 6G are impressive. Depending on the application, peak data rates of 50 to 200 Gbit/s are being considered for IMT-2030. There are also ambitious targets for mobility, with connections intended to work in certain scenarios even at speeds of 500 to 1,000 km/h.
However, conventional radio streaming does not require anything close to these data rates. An internet radio stream at 128 or 192 kbit/s already works well over today’s 4G or 5G networks. For radio listeners, other potential characteristics of 6G could therefore be much more important.
What Advantages Could 6G Offer for Radio Streaming?
Anyone listening to internet radio at home over a stable Wi-Fi connection may initially notice little difference. The situation is different when listening on the move.
A reliable mobile connection is particularly important when streaming radio on a smartphone, in a car or while travelling by train. In areas with inconsistent mobile coverage, streams can still stop, buffer or take time to reconnect.
6G is intended to provide highly reliable connectivity and improve the availability of mobile communications. In the future, this could mean fewer interruptions, shorter loading times and more stable radio streaming while travelling.
This is particularly interesting for internet radio because, unlike FM or DAB+, listeners are not restricted to radio stations that can be received locally.
Listen to Radio Stations from Around the World
Internet radio already makes it possible to listen to thousands of stations from different countries. With future mobile networks, accessing this enormous choice while travelling could become even easier and more reliable.
Listeners looking for British pop music, new releases and current chart hits can, for example, listen to BBC Radio 1 online.
Another popular choice from the UK is Capital FM with a programme focused on contemporary hits and popular music.
Internet radio also makes national borders largely irrelevant. Fans of French and international hits can tune in to NRJ France no matter where they are.
For listeners interested in German radio, 1LIVE is another example of a station that can be streamed online.
This demonstrates one of the major advantages of internet radio: as long as an internet connection is available, listeners can access stations from Germany, the UK, France and many other countries without being within range of a traditional radio transmitter.
Does Internet Radio Really Need 6G?
For a normal audio stream, the answer is simple: no.
Even 4G provides more than enough bandwidth for high-quality internet radio, while 5G offers considerably more capacity. Streaming a radio station will therefore not suddenly sound better simply because it is being transmitted over a 6G network.
The potential advantages lie elsewhere.
Network reliability, capacity, mobility and improved connectivity could make a much bigger difference to everyday listening. This could be especially useful in places where large numbers of people use mobile networks at the same time, such as city centres, railway stations, airports, concerts or major sporting events.
In these situations, the ability of future networks to handle very large numbers of connected devices could help make streaming services more reliable.
Could 6G Replace FM and DAB+ Radio?
It is too early to suggest that 6G will replace traditional radio technologies such as FM or DAB+.
Broadcast radio has an important technical advantage: one transmission can reach a very large number of receivers simultaneously. Internet radio, on the other hand, usually requires an individual data connection between the streaming infrastructure and each listener.
Internet radio offers a different advantage – choice. A listener in Europe can switch from a station in London to one in Paris, New York, Sydney or virtually anywhere else in the world within seconds.
For this reason, traditional broadcasting and internet streaming are likely to coexist for many years.
6G Could Make Mobile Radio Streaming Even More Reliable
For internet radio, the most exciting aspect of 6G is not its enormous potential maximum speed. Today’s mobile networks are already fast enough for audio streaming.
Instead, improvements in reliability, latency, network capacity and connectivity could make mobile radio streaming more stable and convenient.
6G is still being developed and standardised, so it will be some time before listeners can experience these benefits in everyday life. Nevertheless, the direction is clear: as mobile internet becomes more widely available and reliable, listening to your favourite radio stations wherever you go should become even easier.
