China tests 6G photonic terahertz system with 1TB-per-second wireless transmission
On November 29, 2025, CCTV News visited the Purple Mountain Laboratory in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, where researchers demonstrated a key breakthrough in 6G technology: a photonic terahertz communication system capable of wireless transmission speeds up to 1 terabyte per second. That's 100x faster than current 5G networks-fast enough to download a high-definition movie in the blink of an eye.
The system is designed to support massive data applications such as 8K/16K ultra-high-definition video and holographic communication. Unlike 5G, which focuses on ground-based coverage, 6G aims to build an integrated "air-space-ground-sea" network for seamless global connectivity.
China has completed the first phase of 6G testing, accumulating over 300 key technology reserves. Current research is focused on solving challenges in high-frequency connectivity, synaesthesia integration, intelligent computing, and ultra-dense networking. These efforts span architecture, algorithms, and chip design, with the goal of enabling intelligent, fully integrated 6G systems.
According to national plans, large-scale 6G networking is expected to begin in 2030, with full commercial deployment by 2035.
The photonic terahertz system was developed and tested at Purple Mountain Laboratory, a leading Chinese research center for next-generation communication technologies.
