UK Ranks 4th In Race To 6G
As artificial intelligence and new technologies continue to evolve, superfast connection speeds are essential, meaning 6G will likely be rolled out in the coming years.
To help you stay up to speed, the experts at Uswitch Mobiles have revealed the countries which are leading the race to 6G, and the UK ranks 4th!
The study analysed countries on their median and maximum 5G download speeds, as well as their 6G patent filings by country, to reveal which countries are leading the race to 6G.
The Top Countries Leading the Race to 6G
| Rank | Country | 6G Patents | Fastest 5G Speed | 6G Ready Score |
| 1 | South Korea | 760 | 814 | 8.75 |
| 2 | India | 265 | 465 | 7.50 |
| 3 | United States | 2,229 | 363 | 6.88 |
| 4 | China | 4,604 | 142 | 5.00 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 115 | 392 | 5.00 |
| 6 | Japan | 155 | 298 | 3.75 |
| 6 | Finland | 12 | 452 | 3.75 |
| 8 | Germany | 77 | 330 | 3.13 |
| 9 | Australia | 55 | 296 | 1.25 |
- South Korea is the leading country in the race to 6G, with a ‘6G Ready’ score of 8.75/10. The country was a pioneer in 5G technology, investing heavily in fibre optics and 5G networks. South Koreans also have a high rate of internet usage with many relying on digital services for shopping, banking and everything in between.
- India is the second most 6G ready country, with a score of 7.50/10. India has filed 265 patents for 6G technology and has recorded a substantial 465 Mbps average top speed. By the end of 2022, India recorded over 900 million active internet users, second only to China as the largest online market in the world.
- Third in the race to 6G is the United States, with a score of 6.88/10. The US has reported the second-highest volume of patent files in the world, with 2,229 at the end of 2022. As of 2022, 92% of the US population actively uses the internet and relies on internet connections for entertainment, commerce and education.
- The United Kingdom ranks as the fourth most 6G ready country with a 6G Ready score of 5/10. The UK has filed 115 patents for 6G technology which is much lower than some of the other top ranking countries. However, the UK has recorded average top 5G speeds of 392 Mbps.
Further Study Insights:
- Samsung is the company that is investing the most in 6G developments, investing an astronomical $2.24 billion in research and development over the course of 2021.
- South Korea has the fastest 5G internet speeds in the world, recording a download speed of 814 Mbps in the top 10% of users.
- Bristol is the UK area with the greatest 5G networks, offering a huge 10,000 Mbps maximum download speed.