Researchers have cracked 6G wireless. The average speed is 938 Gbps, which is over 9,000 times faster than 5G. This would download Black Myth Wukong within 1.1 seconds.

Scientists have done their sciencing again and this time proved that wireless speeds are even faster than the speeds we're used. Over 9,000 times faster.

University College London (UCL), a group of nerds, has set a new wireless speed record (via Interesting Engineering), by combining optical ("optoelectronic") and all-electronic methods. The end result is a wireless transmission speed of 938 Gbps. Like me, I'm sure you consider that a failure. Could they not push a bit harder and break the 1,000 Gbps barrier? So close, yet so far.

If you translate that into actual data transfer, it would mean that you could download all 130GB of Black Myth Wukong within 1.1 seconds. If they had broken 1,000 Gbps, that would be 125GB/s and Black Myth Wukong could have been downloaded in just 1.04 seconds. If we round down, that's 1 second.

UCL also says that the 938 Gbps achieved by the researchers is "up to 9,380-times faster than the UK's best average 5G download speeds, which are currently 100 Megabits/second (Mb/s)." Or, as I call it, "still less than 1,000 Gbps".

This is impressive. You can read the research paper for the technical details, but UCL provides a simple explanation.

"Wireless networks transmit information by using radio waves in a limited range of frequencies. Wireless transmission methods such as Wi-Fi or 5G mobile operate primarily at frequencies below 6GHz.

"But congestion on this frequency range has limited wireless communication speed."

Researchers from UCL Electronic & Electrical Engineering have overcome this bottleneck through transmitting information using a much broader range of radio frequency by combining radio and optical technology for the first time.

All electromagnetic waves are on the same spectrum. All photons vibrate at different frequencies. However, different bands of frequencies must be approached differently.

By ensuring a steady carrier signal, two bands, one between 100-175 GHz and another around 100 GHz, could be used simultaneously. This was achieved by using a quartz-based oscillator, which is the same thing used to regulate the clock speed of a PC.

Dr Zhixin Lu, the senior author of the research, explains that "our new approach combines for the first time two existing wireless technologies, high-speed electronic and millimetre-wave photonics, in order to [overcome] this barrier." This new system allows the transmission of large quantities of data at unprecedented speed, which will be critical for the future wireless communications.

While the ultimate result will be impressive in terms of speed, it is more likely that more people will achieve faster speeds simultaneously, but not at 938 Gbps. Multiplex data could mean 6G will allow more simultaneous signal and bands uses. This would allow for more bandwidth and easier throughput.

This could mean a leap to wireless connectivity, which could replace traditional cable or fiber broadband. Let's crack that 1,000 Gbps wall, shall we? We like big, round numbers.