While many Canadians are still waiting for the fastest 5G signals, Ottawa is already looking toward the next generation. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, the federal government teamed up with global partners to lay out the ground rules for 6G security. The goal is to bake security into the 6G foundation now, rather than trying to patch it in as an afterthought later.
Carriers including Telus and Videotron have already signed on, joining global giants like NVIDIA, Samsung, and Nokia. This coalition is focusing on quantum-safe encryption to stay ahead of future hacking threats and ensuring Artificial Intelligence is integrated into our cell networks safely. Finland and Sweden also jumped into the fold today, expanding the group’s reach across Europe.
“As the world prepares for 6G, ensuring that next-generation networks are secure and resilient is critical to protecting Canadians and strengthening our digital future,” said Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry, in a statement. “Together, we are shaping a telecommunications ecosystem that is open, competitive and trusted.”
Canada is still lagging behind on 5G mmWave
It is a bit ironic that Ottawa is planning for the 6G era when Canada’s current 5G landscape is still very much a work in progress. Most of the 5G we use today relies on sub-6GHz spectrum. This is fine for coverage, but it’s nowhere near the true 5G speeds people see in other parts of the world.
The real bottleneck is the lack of mmWave (millimetre wave) deployment. This high-frequency band is what actually delivers those face-melting multi-gigabit speeds and ultra-low latency. While a residual spectrum auction wrapped up in February 2026, the dedicated mmWave auction has been stuck in a loop of delays. Until carriers like Rogers, Telus, and Bell can actually get their hands on the 26 GHz and 38 GHz bands, Canadians are stuck with a lite version of 5G. While 5G+ is showing some impressive download speeds, it’s not at its real capability just yet.
What 6G actually means for you
If and when it finally arrives, 6G promises to be a massive leap over 5G. It’s being designed to handle a future full of Internet of Things devices, integrated sensing, and better satellite-to-phone communication. By setting these standards now, the government is hoping to avoid the messy supply chain and security drama that plagued previous wireless rollouts.
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