5G+, 6G, NB-IoT

Connectivity is no longer just a matter of speed. In a world where data is vital, it has become a question of intelligence, resilience, and sovereignty.

While 5G+ is gradually establishing itself across Europe, 6G is already being developed in laboratories, and NB-IoT (NarrowBand Internet of Things) continues its quiet expansion at the heart of connected devices.

These technologies are not just marketing labels—they are redefining how businesses operate, innovate, and secure their data flows.

5G+: The maturity of an intelligent network

5G+ is not just an enhanced 5G—it’s the first generation to rely on a true 5G core network, fully independent from 4G.

This changes everything:

• Latency (the delay between an action and the network’s response) is reduced by a factor of ten.
• Reliability increases thanks to better priority management.
• Critical communications (industrial robots, medical devices, emergency interventions) become instantaneous and secure¹.

Practically, an industrial robot can now adjust its movements based on a remote command in a fraction of a second, without risk of interruption.

In the events sector, organizers can monitor HD video streams live, manage crowd flow, and interact with the audience in real time.

In Luxembourg, POST Luxembourg has begun deploying 5G+, while Proximus is investing in optimizing infrastructures to fully exploit its potential.

This generation of network finally allows intelligent management of communications, adapting bandwidth according to usage and critical moments, to provide more reliable and sustainable connectivity.

6G: When connectivity becomes sensory

6G, expected between 2030 and 2035, will not just be faster: it aims to merge connectivity, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity to create what researchers call the ‘Internet of Senses’².

In other words, it will no longer be just about exchanging data, but also sensory experiences—touch, vision, sound—through technologies like holograms, extended reality (XR), or tactile communication.

Imagine a remote surgical operation where the surgeon can feel the texture of tissues in real time via connected haptic gloves: this is one of the scenarios 6G will make possible.

Technically, 6G will use even higher frequency bands, offering near-zero latency and massive bandwidth.

But its real challenge will be orchestrating this power with artificial intelligence: future networks will need to self-adapt, predict demand, and reconfigure themselves without human intervention³.

In Luxembourg, the LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) contributes to these studies through several European programs³.

Meanwhile, Proximus has been participating since 2024 in the 6G-TWIN project, aimed at designing smarter and more sustainable networks capable of self-learning via AI⁴.

This race toward 6G is not only technological—it is also geopolitical: China, the United States, and Europe are competing for leadership in standards, and therefore for control over the digital infrastructures of the future.

NB-IoT: The network for discreet devices

Less publicized but essential, NB-IoT (NarrowBand Internet of Things) is the technology that enables low-power connected devices to communicate over long distances.

While 5G+ connects humans and machines, NB-IoT links the ‘silent’ objects: water meters, temperature sensors, parking stations, environmental alert systems, and more.

NB-IoT’s strength lies in its technological efficiency. Designed to connect millions of devices without heavy energy consumption, it relies on an optimized architecture and low-data-rate transmission.

Its main advantage is low energy use: a battery-powered sensor can operate for up to ten years without human intervention, a decisive benefit for remote or hard-to-reach infrastructures.

Another strength is its extended range, capable of covering rural, industrial, or underground areas where conventional cellular networks struggle to reach.

Finally, NB-IoT benefits from enhanced robustness thanks to its integration within existing cellular frequency bands⁴. It inherits the reliability and security of operator networks, ensuring stable and protected connectivity, crucial for sensitive applications such as smart meters, telemetry, or monitoring critical equipment.

‘It is also used for telemetry, for example with smart water, gas, or electricity meters. […] Unlike non-cellular solutions, NB-IoT includes strict security protocols, making it a particularly robust technology,’ says Hugues Stiernon of Proximus NXT.

From Speed to Value

5G+, 6G, NB-IoT: three generations, one vision. They no longer promise just to go ‘faster,’ but to make networks smarter, more autonomous, and more useful. For businesses, the challenge is now clear: no longer simply follow technology, but integrate it into the business strategy to innovate, secure, and make better decisions.

References

1.    Orange – 6G : préparer aujourd’hui les réseaux mobiles du futur : https://hellofuture.orange.com/fr/grand-format/6g-preparer-aujourdhui-les-reseaux-mobiles-du-futur#introduction 
2.    LIST – La 6G s’annonce, le LIST y travaille : https://www.list.lu/fr/media/presse/la-6g-sannonce-le-list-y-travaille/ 
3.    Proximus – 6G-TWIN : un projet pour des réseaux mobiles plus intelligents et durables : https://www.proximusnxt.lu/fr/6g-twin-un-projet-pour-des-reseaux-mobiles-plus-intelligents-et-durables 
4.    Orange – Ce qu’il faut savoir sur la connectivité NB-IoT : https://iotjourney.orange.com/fr-FR/connectivite/ce-qu-il-faut-savoir-sur-la-connectivite-nb-iot 
5.    Lëtzebuerger Gemengen – Le NB-IoT : une évolution technologique pour une connectivité intelligente et durable : https://gemengen.lu/web/2025/01/08/le-nb-iot%E2%80%89-une-evolution-technologique-pour-une-connectivite-intelligente-et-durable/