Experts say 6G networks still years away, but Canada’s already preparing for the technology of the future

Leading researchers believe 6G technology could be the key to unlocking high-speed cell service in every corner of the country. Carleton University professor Halim Yanikomeroglu, one of the nation’s leading researchers into 6G mobile networks, often takes the VIA train to travel between Ottawa and Toronto—but he has a complaint. “One quarter of the time, there is no cellular signal,” he told The Hill Times. “And, I’m going between one of the world’s largest cities and the nation’s capital. It’s quite remarkable, really.” But, in Canada, it’s not exactly an uncommon problem. Research from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) determined that 13.4 per cent of major roads (equivalent to thousands of kilometres of highways and heavily-trafficked thoroughfares) have no cellular service. The CRTC’s study did not consider secondary and other rural avenues, meaning there’s almost certainly larger pockets of cell service dead zones throughout Canada. More recently, the regulator asked domestic telcos to provide more details about coverage areas, in an effort to improve mobile service across the country. However, Yanikomeroglu said this problem will likely be resolved through the development and implementation of 6G (sixth-generation) technology. “With 6G, one big promise is enabling ubiquitous connectivity,” said Yanikomeroglu, a systems and computer engineering professor at Carleton. “It would completely eliminate the digital divide … and connect the unconnected.” The 6G technology refers to the next wave of wireless communications. It will be the successor to 5G tech, which was first introduced in 2019 and has since become widely available, both in Canada and throughout the world. Essentially, a new generation represents the next wave of digital evolutions, prompting upgraded device technology and faster network speeds. But, before a new generation of technology can be made commercially available, it must be defined and standardized. The International Telecommunication Union, which counts 194 members, including Canada, released a definition of 6G in 2023, along with several “usage scenarios,” emphasizing AI-powered applications, expanded use of the ‘Internet of Things,’ as well as “ubiquitous connectivity, especially in rural, remote and sparsely populated areas.” A coalition of standards organizations called the 3rd Generation Partnership Project is expected to release international guidelines for 6G technology by early 2029, at which point companies and countries can begin updating their networks. Now, it should be noted that what exactly qualifies as ‘6G’ is still relatively unknown, as much of the technology is still being designed. Regardless, Yanikomeroglu said the technology’s potential is particularly relevant for Canada, given the country’s diverse geographies, climates, and populations. “When we talk about ubiquitous connectivity, the discussion is very different in Canada compared to Luxembourg, Belgium, Kuwait, or other densely populated areas,” he continued. But how would it work? Essentially, Yanikomeroglu explained, cell service can be divided into two different kinds of networks: terrestrial and non-terrestrial (NTN). As expected, terrestrial networks rely on cables and fibre-optic equipment located on or near the Earth’s surface, which then provide coverage to a specific capture area. Meanwhile, NTN consists of satellite technology, operated by companies like Starlink or Telesat, which can provide connectivity to less accessible locations. “Wherever you are, whether it be a plane or on the ocean, there is basically a satellite system everywhere on the globe,” he said. “The issue is the … terrestrial network and satellite networks are different, and they’re not interconnected.” The expectation is that 6G technology could bridge the gap. Yanikomeroglu noted that modern-day smartphones work in what he called “dual mode.” When people are indoors, he noted, devices connect to Wi-Fi, and while outdoors, they connect to a cellular network. “But, tomorrow, devices might be triple mode,” he continued. “In addition to those two, we might be connected to satellites … and this could be a game-changer for 6G.” The end result? Total connectivity, he said. A northern light? The eventual deployment of 6G networks will perhaps be most impactful on Canada’s remote Arctic communities. While most households in the Yukon and Northwest Territories enjoy access to high-speed broadband, coverage maps from Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc., the country’s two largest telcos, suggest all three northern territories receive minimal mobile coverage. According to Fayyaz Ahmed, a researcher with the N.W.T.’s territorial government, widespread adoption of 6G technology has the potential to “change everything in the Arctic.” “Instead of old fixes, new systems blend low-orbit satellites, high-altitude platforms, and scattered land-based units to close blind spots,” said Ahmed in an email. “Senseing tools woven together could track ice shifts, guide rescue efforts, watch ecosystems, and keep vital structures strong.” “ health services could make choices faster because data decides closer to users, schools could update students quicker without relying on distant servers.” However, Ahmed, also an affiliate at the Aurora Research Institute in Inuvik, N.W.T., cautioned, 6G networks must be “used right.” “None of this works if 6G stays treated like any other profit-driven tech,” he continued. “It must be seen as an essential funding demand first. Decisions should also shift under Indigenous leadership, not just corporate ones.” “Northern climates demand unique rules—no one-size-fits-all setup here.” Currently, the federal government is funding multiple 6G research projects through the National Research Council’s (NRC) High-throughput and Secure Networks Challenge program, including a study into ‘millimetre wave’ technology that seeks to bring increased connectivity to “remote and rural areas that are beyond the reach of traditional fibre telecommunications networks.” Angela Gamouras, a physicist and adjunct professor at the University of Ottawa, is leading an NRC-funded project investigating the potential for terahertz wireless communications, which involves designing a receiver that could handle high-frequency electromagnetic waves. “We’ve been working on how we can make a receiver that’s low-cost and easy to operate, so it could potentially one day be implemented in our infrastructure,” she said. “Because is really looking into improving communication and wireless communications for all Canadians, but especially those in the north and rural Canadians.” Canada could be a ‘major player’ in 6G: expert Optimism may abound for future use cases of 6G networks, but stakeholders emphasize this technology is still years—if not decades—away. Gamouras said her study’s progress has been promising, and she believes the technology could one day help facilitate a wireless network that allows people to use network speeds that are 100-times faster than what is currently offered, but that day isn’t expected to arrive anytime soon. “We have been in consultation with some commercial partners…, but we definitely have a ways to go,” she said. “It’s not going to happen tomorrow by any means.” For Yanikomeroglu, widespread adoption of 6G technologies won’t likely come until the “mid-2030s.” “At that point, operators might quickly deploy, or they might still wait another couple of years,” he said. “So, when deployment will start is still a question mark.” “That being said, we expect some jurisdictions, like China and the Middle East, will have quicker first deployment … but, in Canada, it remains to be seen.” Yanikomeroglu contended Canada has the opportunity to become a “major player” in the 6G space, owing to its storied history in satellite technology. After the Soviet Union and United States, Canada was the third country to construct and launch a satellite, when Alouette 1 went into orbit in 1962. Now, Canada houses multiple large satellite firms, including Telesat and MDA Space, along with the headquarters for the multinational Kepler Communications. “Some people might argue that Nortel is gone and Blackberry is gone, therefore Canada does not have a big industry in 6G, so the government shouldn’t make this a priority,” Yanikomeroglu said. “But the ecosystem is still very strong.” “Canada, historically, has been very strong in the telecoms area…, and we can certainly play a role moving forwards.” In addition to funding research and development through the NRC, Ottawa has also supported a series of joint guiding principles for 6G technology, which included the prioritization of cybersecurity, interoperability, and energy efficiency. “Canadians depend on telecommunications services being reliable and secure every day, whether for personal connectivity or the digital economy,” said then-industry minister François-Philippe Champagne (Saint-Maurice—Champlain, Que.) in 2024. “Our government has endorsed these… principles for 6G so that Canadians can continue to benefit from the latest wireless technologies.” There were no new supports explicitly for 6G initiatives in the Prime Minister Mark Carney’s (Nepean, Ont.) recent budget, though the federal government financially supported 6G research led by the Swedish telco Ericsson in 2023. Other companies, including Nokia and Huawei, have also announced plans to conduct 6G research at their respective facilities in Ottawa. In a statement, Cheyenne Daly, a spokesperson for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) told The Hill Times that the federal government “recognizes” that 6G communication networks will “underpin all major economic and social activity, as well as the effective delivery of critical services.” “The government is working with international partners to ensure Canadians continue to have access to secure and reliable telecom services and the latest wireless technologies,” said Daly. “Canada’s collaboration with international partners on telecommunications issues like 6G builds on the government’s longstanding support for industry-led and multi-stakeholder approaches to technical standards development.” dlegree@hilltimes.com This story has been cross-published with The Hill Times.

Experts say 6G networks still years away, but Canada’s already preparing for the technology of the future

Telecom |
By Davis Legree
|January 23, 2026

Leading researchers believe 6G technology could be the key to unlocking high-speed cell service in every corner of the country.

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Experts say 6G networks still years away, but Canada’s already preparing for the technology of the future

Telecom | By Davis Legree |January 23, 2026

Leading researchers believe 6G technology could be the key to unlocking high-speed cell service in every corner of the country.

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