Ericsson Conducts First Live 6G Trial
Ericsson announced it has conducted the world's first live 6G trial in Texas. The demonstration showcased the use of new 6G centimeter wave spectrum to power AI-driven robotics and real-time video streaming. The milestone supports American development of AI-native 6G technology.
The trial in Plano, Texas, was a pre-standard, over-the-air session using Ericsson's own radio hardware, RAN Compute, and cloud-native software. This end-to-end system demonstrates a significant step beyond component-level research and toward a functional 6G architecture. The demonstration was acknowledged by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, highlighting its importance for American competitiveness and national security. A key element of the test was the use of the 7GHz "centimeter wave" (cmWave) spectrum. Unlike the higher-frequency millimeter wave (mmWave) bands used for some 5G deployments, cmWave (7-15 GHz) offers a better balance of wide-area coverage and high data capacity, making it a prime candidate to be the workhorse for initial 6G services. This approach avoids some of the significant coverage and penetration challenges seen with mmWave technology. The demonstration showcased an AI-native network design, where artificial intelligence is not an add-on but is fundamentally embedded in every layer of the network. This allows for advanced capabilities like the drone detection showcased in a separate "Integrated Sensing and Communication" (ISAC) proof-of-concept, also at the Plano headquarters. Such features will enable 6G networks to act as a massive sensor system, providing real-time data about the physical world. This trial places Ericsson squarely in a global race to define the next wireless generation, with competitors like Nokia and Samsung also achieving 6G milestones. In Japan, Nokia is collaborating with SoftBank on outdoor trials in similar 7 GHz spectrum, while Samsung has worked with KT in South Korea to validate 6G at the same frequency. The development of 6G is being guided by global standards bodies, with a clear roadmap in place. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) began its requirement work in 2024 and is expected to finalize the first 6G technical specifications in Release 21 by the end of 2028. This timeline aligns with the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) IMT-2030 framework, targeting the first commercial 6G systems to be available around 2030.
