The recent G7 Summit in Hiroshima witnessed an intriguing development in the telecoms industry as Japan proposed collaboration on technologies that lie on the horizon – the Japanese are calling it ‘Beyond 5G/6G‘.

While the current 5G cellular network is still in its nascent stages, researchers and industry leaders are already setting their sights on the next generation of wireless communication – 6G – as previously discussed on IA.

However, what makes this new development of Beyond 5G/6G different is that this next level of technology – 7G – will be guided by global political decisions.

Progress moving fast toward 6G revolution

Terahertz waves are being explored for the development of lightning-fast 6G communication technology that will be an industry game-changer.

The technology of 7G builds on 6G – some of its features are discussed in this previous IA article.

The G7 Summit addressed the issue that technology is running so far ahead that it has the potential to undermine societies without proper oversight. It was interesting to see that the Japanese have taken a leadership role in this process both on a technical and a political level.

As a result, the G7 digital and tech ministers’ discussed various political agendas aimed at shaping the future of the digital landscape.

These agendas included facilitating cross-border data flows, securing digital infrastructure, promoting responsible AI, enhancing internet governance, driving innovation with emerging technologies and addressing competition policy in the digital market.

The meeting resulted in the adoption of the ‘G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Declaration‘, which outlined key points and action plans for each agenda. Furthermore, an international framework for Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) was established, marking a significant step towards operationalising DFFT and facilitating global data exchange.

The meeting emphasised the importance of international cooperation and multi-stakeholder dialogue to ensure a sustainable and inclusive digital future.

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Points from the “Declaration”:

The Beyond 5G/6G era signifies a new frontier in wireless communication.

As the telecom industry looks beyond 5G and 6G deployment, researchers and industry leaders are already working towards the development of 6G and the technologies that will shape it.

The outcomes of the G7 digital and tech ministers’ meeting reflect this but, at the same time, make a commitment to actively shaping the future of digital technology and its governance.

The adoption of the ‘G7 Digital and Tech Ministers’ Declaration’ and the establishment of an international framework for DFFT highlight the collective efforts of G7 nations.

Paul Budde is an Independent Australia columnist and managing director of Paul Budde Consulting, an independent telecommunications research and consultancy organisation. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PaulBudde.

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