6G & satellite internet progress: MWC Shanghai focuses on how-to, cost reduction & networking

Recently, the 2026 MWC Shanghai opened as scheduled. Unlike last year’s warm atmosphere of intensive 5G-A commercial order signings, this year’s exhibition hall exuded a cautious sense of pragmatism: The “6G Industry Ecosystem Zone” and “Future Constellation” satellite area, each independently set up for the first time, were popular, but the industry was more keen on reasoning about “when technology can turn into real money.”

Blue Whale tech reporters found that in the 6G direction, the three major paths — integrated sensing and communication, AI native, and space-air-ground integration — are now undisputed. Chip makers have even started pre-research and stocking ahead of time. In the satellite internet field, the “race for orbital frequencies” has largely ended, with large-scale networking and cost reduction becoming the new themes.

However, consensus stops at the technical level — terminal manufacturers and investment institutions are generally sitting on the sidelines, the former waiting for killer applications and the latter unable to calculate return cycles. Even international satellite players who have achieved profitability are struggling with the early cultivation of the consumer market.

As the financial account for 5G investment has not yet been fully settled, 6G and satellite internet are collectively entering a transition period of “clear vision but difficult monetization.” Technology paths are narrowing, but commercial outlets seem broader. Under realistic ROI constraints, the industry needs a more pragmatic answer than “grand narratives.”

6G technology paths converge, but business closed loop still being explored

Walking into the 6G Industry Ecosystem Zone in Hall N3 of MWC Shanghai, five major sections — Beijing 6G Lab general area, communication enhancement, integrated sensing and communication, integrated communication-computing-intelligence, and space-terrestrial integration — clearly break down 6G’s core technology vision. On-site staff told Blue Whale tech reporters, This is the first time MWC Shanghai has set up a dedicated hall for 6G, sending a clear industry signal: 6G has moved from concept discussion to a key stage of system verification.

“If last year people were still arguing about what 6G should do, this year the debate is about how to do it and what trade-offs to make,” a technician from the Beijing 6G Lab general area told reporters. Currently, the three enhancement paths — integrated sensing and communication, AI native, and space-air-ground integration — have basically formed industry consensus. Key technologies such as terahertz communication and intelligent metasurfaces have also entered prototype verification.

The pace of layout in the upper reaches of the industry chain is clearly accelerating. At this exhibition, Qualcomm demonstrated an end-to-end 6G prototype system. GalaxySpace publicly showcased its second-generation direct-to-cell phased array antenna in the 6G Industry Ecosystem Zone for the first time. Vivo exhibited its 6G pre-research prototype and technology roadmap. It is understood that unlike Xiaomi, which focuses on underlying transmission algorithms, and OPPO, which focuses on communication paradigm innovation, Vivo’s exhibition direction leans more toward end-to-end systems and application implementation — its displayed complete 6G test system covers MR terminals, 6G terminal prototypes (UE), 6G base stations (RAN), and core network, among other full-chain links.

An on-site representative from a domestic chip maker told reporters that the company’s internal 6G pre-research team has doubled in size compared to last year. The logic is clear: “It would be too late to start after the standard is frozen; we must prepare technology reserves first.”

However, compared to the enthusiasm of the upper reaches, terminal manufacturers are relatively cautious. Blue Whale tech reporters asked multiple mobile phone brands in the 6G zone about their 6G terminal plans, and most responses were “closely monitoring.” There were few consumer-grade product demonstrations for 6G on display. A 6G pre-research director from a top-five global smartphone maker said in an informal conversation that it is still difficult to provide a clear commercial roadmap for 6G phones. The core reason is not a lack of technical capability, but that the terminal side is still evaluating the path from user needs to application scenarios. In his view, the experience dividend of 5G has not yet been fully released, and the immersive holographic and multi-sensory scenarios envisioned by 6G are still some distance from the mass consumer market.

The investment community is also cautious. Blue Whale tech reporters met an early-stage investor focused on the TMT sector during the exhibition. After observing multiple demonstrations in the 6G zone, he said that the technology direction is impressive, but from an investment perspective, the capital returns of 5G are still in the digestion cycle, and the scale of R&D and network deployment investment for 6G is huge, with exit cycles and return expectations currently lacking sufficient data support. He admitted that at this stage, he is mainly keeping track and watching, waiting for clearer commercial signals before acting.

“Future Constellation”: Pattern basically set, profit path yet to be verified

Unlike the 6G zone’s focus on key technology verification, the newly established “Future Constellation” satellite industry zone presented a different industrial rhythm — the orbital landscape has begun to take shape, and participants are entering a stage of fine-tuning resources and costs.

Domestic low-orbit broadband and narrowband constellation operators such as Geespace, Guodian Gaoke, and Yuanxin Satellite, along with international players like Iridium, all set up sizable booths. Geespace displayed real terminal equipment for low-orbit satellite internet targeting scenarios like ocean-going ships and desert mining areas; Guodian Gaoke focused on promoting the application cases of the Tianqi constellation in IoT; Yuanxin Satellite’s engineers even connected live to play a video call test screen based on the “Qianfan Constellation.”

“The race for satellite internet orbital and frequency resources has basically concluded. The current key is scale deployment and cost control,” a representative from Guodian Gaoke told Blue Whale tech reporters. He revealed that the batch production cost of the company’s narrowband communication payloads is continuously decreasing, but also pointed out that the user scale of satellite internet services has not yet reached the break-even point. For at least the next few years, government and industry orders will remain the basic support for revenue.

In the process of forming a profit model, terminal costs are a noteworthy aspect. Blue Whale tech reporters discussed satellite communication terminal material costs with representatives from antenna and module manufacturers. Interviewees generally said that costs are rapidly declining and have the capability to be integrated into mainstream model designs, but most manufacturers did not disclose specific figures.

A business manager at the Iridium booth told reporters, Iridium relies on narrowband voice and low-speed data services to achieve positive cash flow, but the traditional market space is approaching saturation. Next-step growth needs to expand into IoT and emergency communications. Domestically, low-orbit broadband constellations are still in the scale-first catch-up phase, and achieving breakeven will require time and user accumulation.