5G Is Already Here in Kyiv, and the World Is Getting Ready for 6G: What Do the New Generations of Mobile Communications Mean?
Pilot testing of fifth-generation mobile communications began in Kyiv on July 22. The 5G network is already operational in the central part of the capital—in the area stretching from Independence Square to Bessarabska Square—as well as at select test sites operated by mobile carriers.
During the tests, the average mobile internet speed was about 600–700 Mbit/s, and in some cases exceeded 1 Gbit/s.
Kyiv has become the fourth Ukrainian location where the new technology is being tested, following Lviv, Borodianka, and Kharkiv. According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, nearly 1.5 million subscribers have already used the pilot network, and operators have deployed over 300 base stations. Odesa is set to be the next city where testing will take place.
UA.News explains what 5G is, why its benefits go beyond faster video downloads, what the 6G network is expected to be like, and who is already working on its development.
What Is 5G and How Is It Better Than 4G
5G is the fifth generation of mobile communications, which replaced 4G LTE. For the average user, the most noticeable benefit is speed: large files download faster, high-quality video streams more smoothly, and mobile internet experiences fewer slowdowns in areas where thousands of people are gathered at once.
However, 5G wasn’t created just as “super-fast internet for smartphones.” The International Telecommunication Union identifies three main use cases for the technology: high-speed mobile internet, mass connectivity of sensors and other devices, and ultra-reliable, low-latency communication.
The theoretical requirements for the standard call for peak download speeds of up to 20 Gbit/s, user speeds of at least 100 Mbit/s, latency of up to one millisecond in certain specialized scenarios, and the ability to support up to one million devices per square kilometer.
In real-world networks, performance depends on frequencies, the number of base stations, network load, smartphone model, and distance from the antenna. Therefore, these maximum figures should not be taken as a guaranteed speed for every subscriber.
Why do we need 5G, besides fast internet?
Low latency means the network responds more quickly to commands from users or devices. This is important for industrial robots, remote control of machinery, cloud gaming, video surveillance systems, autonomous vehicles, and medical services.
Another advantage is high capacity. On a 4G network, speeds often drop at stadiums, concerts, train stations, or in the center of a large city, where tens of thousands of smartphones are connected simultaneously.
5G is designed to handle a significantly larger number of connections and can simultaneously support not only phones but also cameras, meters, cars, drones, industrial sensors, and urban infrastructure.
That is precisely why the Kyiv pilot project is important not only as a demonstration of high speeds. The capital will allow researchers to test how the network performs in a dense, high-rise urban environment, under heavy load, with a large number of subscribers, and with various types of equipment. This is precisely what the Ministry of Digital Transformation identifies as the main objective of the current testing.
What Is 6G
6G is the working name for the sixth generation of mobile communications, which is expected to follow 5G and its enhanced version, 5G-Advanced. In documents from the International Telecommunication Union, the future standard is referred to as IMT-2030.
Unlike 5G, the 6G network is not yet a ready-to-use technology that can be enabled on a smartphone. Its requirements, frequencies, architecture, and use cases are still being developed.
In February 2026, the ITU’s relevant working group approved a draft of the technical requirements for IMT-2030.
It covers six main areas: immersive connectivity, ultra-reliable low-latency communications, mass communications, ubiquitous coverage, the integration of artificial intelligence with communications, as well as integrated data transmission and object recognition.
The last point is one of the most interesting features of this future technology. In the future, a 6G base station will be able not only to transmit a signal but also to partially function as a sensor—detecting the movement, position, or characteristics of objects.
This could be used in transportation, robotics, industry, security systems, and digital city models. For example, the network will be able to simultaneously provide connectivity for a self-driving car and help it gather information about surrounding objects.
Who Is Working on Developing 6G
Global standards are set by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which defines the vision, requirements, and evaluation procedures for future technologies. The specific technical specifications are developed by the international consortium 3GPP, which includes representatives from the telecommunications industry in various countries.
Within 3GPP, the work has been divided into two major phases. Release 20 is dedicated to research on the radio interface and network core architecture, while Release 21 is set to mark the beginning of the development of 6G standard specifications.
Proposals for IMT-2030 technologies are expected in early 2029, and a complete description of the system is scheduled to be submitted no later than mid-2030.
At the same time, Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, Qualcomm, and other equipment and chip manufacturers are conducting their own research and developing prototypes.
Nokia led the European Hexa-X research initiative; Samsung is working on networks with built-in artificial intelligence and energy-efficient architecture; while Ericsson and Qualcomm announced in 2026 that they had developed joint laboratory prototypes of individual components of the future radio interface.
How 6G Will Differ from 5G
The main difference lies not only in speed. 5G primarily improves data transmission, network capacity, and latency. 6G is envisioned as an intelligent digital platform that will simultaneously provide connectivity, computing, artificial intelligence, and environmental sensing.
Artificial intelligence in 5G networks can already be used to optimize equipment performance. In 6G, it is planned to be embedded into the architecture itself: the network will be able to automatically allocate resources, adapt to load, predict failures, and select connection parameters for a specific device or task.
6G is also expected to enhance the integration of terrestrial mobile communications with satellite and other non-terrestrial systems. The idea is for users or devices to enjoy a more stable connection not only in major cities but also in remote areas, on public transportation, at sea, or in disaster zones.
Another difference is the focus on new forms of interaction: augmented and mixed reality, digital twins, human-robot collaboration, precise positioning, and the real-time transmission of complex three-dimensional data.
The ITU is also specifically incorporating requirements into the future standard regarding security, resilience, energy efficiency, and connectivity accessibility for remote areas.
That said, specific 6G speeds should not yet be considered final. Media reports and company presentations often feature predictions of tens or even hundreds of gigabits per second, but a single global standard is still in the development phase.
When Will 6G Be Available?
Some experimental systems and lab tests are already underway, but it’s still too early to talk about a fully-fledged 6G network. The first standardized commercial networks are expected by the end of 2029 or around 2030.
After that, it will take several more years for enough base stations, compatible smartphones, modems, and actual services to become available.
Therefore, 5G and its enhanced version, 5G-Advanced, will remain the primary technologies in the coming years.
As for 6G, it is currently a development path in which the global telecommunications industry is trying to agree on what mobile communications should look like in the next decade.
