Qualcomm Publicly Exhibits World's First 3GPP-Compliant 6G Terminal Prototype at CIIE, Achieving ~14Gbps Peak Rate

US chipmaker Qualcomm publicly exhibited the world's first 6G terminal prototype compliant with the latest 3GPP definitions at the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE), which opened on November 5. This marks the first time the prototype has been displayed physically to the public outside of a laboratory setting.

According to reports from Zhidongxi and official CIIE news, the prototype serves as a key test and verification platform for moving towards 6G commercialization. It has already been used in joint 6G technology tests and Interoperability Device Testing (IoDT) with Chinese industry partners including China Mobile and ZTE. In September, Qualcomm and China Mobile completed IoDT based on the latest 3GPP-defined radio frequency specifications, achieving uplink and downlink link interconnection between devices from different vendors.

Regarding performance parameters, tests conducted by Qualcomm and ZTE in their Xi'an laboratory late last year showed that the prototype utilized 400 MHz of downlink bandwidth and 400 MHz of uplink bandwidth. Its downlink bandwidth is four times that of current 5G spectrum, with a peak downlink rate of approximately 14 Gbps. Beyond wired radio frequency calibration tests, Qualcomm stated it will gradually move into Over-The-Air (OTA) testing phases.

Currently, the 3GPP 6G standard is still evolving, with the first version, Release 21, expected to be finalized by 2029. At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in March, Qualcomm reached a consensus with nearly 60 global partners, including about 20 Chinese ones, to push for 6G commercialization starting from 2029. Qualcomm plans to continuously configure and upgrade this prototype based on standard developments to accumulate practical experience.