Ericsson Conducts First Live 6G Trial in US
Ericsson has conducted what it calls the world's first live 6G trial in Texas, supporting American leadership in next-generation wireless technology. The demonstration showcased the use of new 6G centimeter wave spectrum and cloud-native infrastructure. The trial powered applications including AI-driven robotics and real-time video streaming.
The live trial took place at Ericsson's North American headquarters in Plano, Texas, utilizing a pre-standard 6G system. This over-the-air demonstration serves as a crucial step to validate the individual hardware and software components that will form the basis of future 6G networks, well before official standards are finalized. A key element of the test was the use of "centimeter wave" (cmWave) spectrum, specifically in the 7-15 GHz range. This represents a strategic shift from 5G's focus on millimeter wave, as cmWave is seen as a "sweet spot" for 6G that balances wide-area coverage with the large bandwidth needed for next-generation applications. The network's "cloud-native" infrastructure is a fundamental departure from previous wireless generations. Instead of relying on proprietary hardware, 6G networks are being designed as software-based services running on cloud platforms, which allows for greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. This trial showcases how 6G is being designed to be AI-native, meaning artificial intelligence is integrated into the network's core. This allows the network to automatically manage resources, optimize performance for different applications, and predict and prevent issues, a critical feature for supporting widespread AI. This U.S.-based trial is part of a wider global research effort by Ericsson. The company has a 6G research lab in Budapest and is a key partner in the European Commission's 6G flagship initiative, Hexa-X-II. Ericsson also collaborates with U.S. institutions, including a multi-year partnership with the University of Texas focused on 6G-powered XR technology. The demonstration of AI-powered robotics highlights the need for 6G's enhanced uplink capacity and consistent low latency. Future applications like real-time holographic communication, autonomous vehicle control, and large-scale industrial automation will depend on the network's ability to process vast amounts of data with minimal delay. The choice of Texas for the trial aligns with a broader strategy to bolster domestic supply chains and U.S. leadership in telecommunications. Ericsson operates a highly automated 300,000-square-foot 5G Smart Factory in Lewisville, Texas, and plans to leverage this U.S. manufacturing footprint for future 6G technologies.
