Mobile Wireless Business World in the 6G Era : Future scenarios in the mobile wireless business in the time of 6G

Abstract

Mobile wireless technologies and services have long become an indispensable platform for communication, work, or business for people living in the modern world. Mobile technologies have gone through several stages of evolution, from the first generation, 1G in 1979, to the latest 5G in 2019. Today, the mobile wireless industry is already looking ahead of 5G and has kick-started researches for the next mobile wireless generation, 6G. While visions of 6G hold promises to bring new digital experiences to society, the question which has not been highlighted is whether the novel 6G would bring transformative impacts on the business operations of the industry under criticism of the oligopoly. This Master’s Thesis attempts to shed a light on the landscape surrounding businesses of the current mobile wireless industry and explore possible future development pathways of major incumbent players in the industry in the time of 6G, with scenarios. Through the scenario building process, driving forces to impact the development of businesses in the 6G era are identified. Interviews with forerunners engaged in researches for 6G are conducted along with environmental scanning to produce four scenarios narratives. The scenarios as the result are composed from the focal point of whether the incumbent players may collapse with the current business structure, or obtain a new form of success through transformation.