[Photo/VCG]

A subsidiary of China Telecom has officially obtained a national invention patent for key 6G satellite-terrestrial integration technology, marking a significant step in achieving technological independence for the next-generation wireless technology, laying a core technical foundation for building a fully connected "space-air-ground-sea" network in the future.

The national invention patent, roughly translated as "A Method for 6G-Based Integrated Space-Air-Ground Transmission Optimization and Topographic Mapping," is a crucial 6G satellite-terrestrial integration technology.

In the research direction of satellite-terrestrial integration, China Telecom is leading the national project "6G Satellite Communication Access and Networking Technology," proposing a backward-compatible approach that leverages ground network technology to drive the development of satellite communications.

China Telecom's patent achievement came as the world enters a crucial window of opportunity to identify technologies and formulate key standards for 6G.

Wang Zhiqin, head of the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion Group, a government-affiliated flagship platform for promoting 6G and international cooperation in China, said the research for 6G technical standards will commence in June this year, with the technical research phase to be completed by 2027. The first version of the technical specifications for 6G technology standards is expected to be finalized by March 2029.

While there is still no universally accepted definition of the technology, 6G is expected to have far lower latency, higher speeds and more bandwidth than 5G.

More importantly, the technology will be able to support the integration of space, air, territorial and maritime communication technologies, which will spawn a wide range of innovative applications, experts said.

China is aiming to commercialize the technology around 2030.