ITU

On X, Mr Musk pointed out that the spectrum “was long designated by the ITU as shared spectrum for satellites”.

Taiwan last week reinforced its foothold in the disputed South China Sea by establishing satellite communications between the main island and its garrison on Taiping Island, also known as Itu Aba, the largest land feature in the highly contested Spratly Island chain.

The ITU rules “need to be updated,” says political scientist Alanna Krolikowski of the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

These standards have not yet been set for 6G—the ITU will likely do so late next year—but industry experts are expecting it to be anywhere from 10 to 1,000 times faster than current 5G networks.

Sixth-generation communication technology may offer revolutionary promises, but it won’t replace existing networks for some time: earlier this year, the ITU estimated that 6G won’t become available to consumers until 2030.