While we are still waiting for a 5G network with nationwide coverage, the Chinese are already working on 6G. Recently they launched a satellite to test the next generation of mobile internet.
The sixth generation mobile internet (6G) promises download speeds of around 100 Gbit/s whereas 5G does not go beyond 'a mere' 10 Gbit/s. Now 6G is not expected before 2030 but the Chinese don't want to wait that long. It now appears that they have launched a satellite on November 5th 2020 to start testing 6G.
The satellite called Star Era-12 was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) via a Long March 6 rocket and successfully put into orbit. The satellite is mainly used to carry out tests, initially on the same frequencies as 5G but eventually also in the terahertz frequency band. China is not the only one testing 6G; both countries and companies have shown interest. These are mainly companies specialized in network technology like Nokia, but also countries like South Korea and Japan. The fact that China is now so open about testing 6G has more to do with PR than with a technological lead.
6G utilization
What for we will eventually use 6G is not yet known. Higher download speeds are of course always welcome, but 6G will only become useful when it is used for what has not been possible before. Multiple drones that collectively transmit high resolution video to monitor weather changes for example. Or to monitor large scale agriculture. For now it is a long way off. Let's first wait and see 5G being rolled out. It's already being watched with enough suspicion, so one step at a time.