6G wireless system: The emerging trend in cellular technology

Abstract Cellular technology has brought about a significant revolution in the way we communicate and share information. In the last four (4) decades, researchers in the field of wireless cellular technology have been consistently upscaling their designs in tech space which has led to the evolutions of 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G in close successions. The most recent is 5G which is currently being implemented in various continents across the globe. 5G encompasses a technological framework that can support machine-to-machine (m2m) communication, virtual and augmented reality and smart manufacturing. However, its drawbacks are now coming into bare as its being deployed globally which suggests that 5G may not stand test of time beyond this decade. This has necessitated early research work into the evolution of next generation technology, the 6G. This paper therefore chronicles the emerging technologies in wireless cellular systems, their evolutionary trends, likely features and prospects of the next generation, the 6G.