Trump Calls For "6G," Which Doesn't Exist

Drawing Board

We'd like to put out an open call: if you have any idea what 6G technology is, please contact us and fill us in.

We ask because U.S. President Donald Trump just tweeted that he wants "6G" cell service in the U.S. "as soon as possible" — even though we don't even have 5G service yet and no one has started to meaningfully discuss 6G, according to The Verge.

Quick Primer

5G service is expected to be the next big thing for mobile communications and has long been slated for a 2020 rollout. When it finally goes live, it's expected to improve cell service, mobile download speeds, and provide better support for the internet of things.

Recently, AT&T misleadingly claimed to have deployed a 5G network before quickly backing away from its own announcement. Meanwhile, there haven’t even been meaningful discussions of what a 6G network would look like.

Invisible Hand

Trump also tweeted that he wants American telecom companies to lead the world in mobile network technology through a spirit of earnest and honest competition, which is a stark contrast to his own administration's plan to block Chinese 5G technology in the U.S., according to The Verge.

Whether it's American or Chinese telecom companies that build better 5G service, it's good to know we have a leader so focused on the future that he wants the U.S. to dominate the race to develop technology that no one has even thought about yet.

READ MORE: Trump wants 6G internet ‘as soon as possible’ [The Verge]

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