Since wireless networks came online, newer models have continued to evolve to be able to cover higher frequencies and thus work faster and more efficiently. Today, 4G or 5G networks are the two most commonly used. In a paper published in Nature in August 2025, however, scientists say they created a 6G chip that could be significantly faster than 5G.
According to the study authors, the frequency range of this 6G chip spans over 100 GHz, which is “unprecedented.” While 5G chips can theoretically reach speeds of about 10 gigabytes per second (Gbps), average speeds tend to be closer to between 150 and 300 megabytes per second. The scientists reported that the 6G chip could reach 100 Gbps, meaning it could be close to 500 times as fast as 5G. It’s important to note that 6G may look a little different in the future once it goes online compared to how it functions in the lab right now. However, this new technology is likely to bring major upgrades in terms of speed.
This is promising technology that could change the way you use your phone. But it goes beyond just streaming and mobile usage, as these evolutions also help things like health systems work better. However, it’s still a ways away, with some telecommunications experts telling CNBC that they don’t anticipate 6G networks to go online until 2030 at the earliest.
The chip is fairly small, with the functional area sitting at just 11 by 1.7 millimeters. According to the study authors, the width was selected to make it compatible with other electronic driver chips. In terms of materials, it runs on a thin-film lithium niobate photonic wireless system, which allowed the researchers to make use of the linear Pockels effect. This helps to prevent signal distortion during operation.
What’s unique about the 6G chip is that it uses something called a broadband electro-optic modulator to convert wireless signals into optical ones. These generate radio frequencies after passing through optoelectronic oscillators. In this system, the researchers reported that the 6G chip could work across a range of frequencies spanning 0.5 to 115 GHz, including microwave, millimeter wave, and terahertz bands. The chip’s wide frequency range is part of what really sets it apart from 5G technology, which works across more limited frequencies.