Ericsson Conducts World's First Live 6G Trial in Texas
Ericsson has completed the world's first live 6G trial at its U.S. headquarters in Texas. The demonstration used new 6G centimeter-wave spectrum to power cloud-hosted AI robotics and real-time video streaming. The milestone supports American leadership in the development of AI-native 6G technology.
The trial utilizes the upper mid-band spectrum, specifically the 7 to 15 GHz range, considered a "golden band" for 6G due to its balance of coverage and capacity. This part of the spectrum is a key area of focus for expanding network capacity beyond the frequencies used by 5G. The demonstration in Plano, Texas, showcased the network's ability to handle integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), a key 6G concept. This was proven through the successful detection and tracking of drones using the same network infrastructure that provides connectivity, a feature with significant defense and public safety applications. This push into 6G is part of a broader U.S. government strategy to lead in next-generation wireless technology. The White House and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) have been actively working on identifying and reallocating spectrum for 6G to ensure American companies have the resources for development. 6G is anticipated to be commercially available around 2030 and will represent a significant leap beyond 5G. Projections suggest speeds could be up to 100 times faster than 5G, with latency potentially as low as 1 microsecond, enabling truly real-time applications like holographic communication and advanced autonomous systems. Ericsson is a key player in a global race for 6G dominance, competing with other major international firms like Nokia, Samsung, and Huawei. The development of 6G is seen as critical for national security and future economic competitiveness.
