Ericsson conducts first live 6G trial in Texas
Ericsson has conducted the world's first live 6G trial in the United States. The demonstration, which took place in Texas, showcased AI-powered robotics and real-time video streaming using new 6G centimeter-wave spectrum. The milestone is seen as a key step in establishing American leadership in AI-native 6G technology.
The trial took place at Ericsson's U.S. headquarters in Plano, Texas, and is part of a broader effort to advance 6G development in the United States. Ericsson has invested over $150 million in its 5G Smart Factory in nearby Lewisville, Texas, which already employs over 550 people and is expected to play a role in manufacturing 6G technology. This demonstration is one of several collaborations for Ericsson, which is also working with Apple and MediaTek on 6G spectrum sharing technologies. Additionally, Ericsson and Qualcomm are jointly prototyping 6G's physical layer capabilities and plan to showcase their progress at Mobile World Congress 2026. The use of centimeter-wave (cmWave) spectrum, specifically in the 7-15 GHz range, is a key element of this 6G trial. This part of the spectrum is seen as a "sweet spot" for 6G, offering a balance of high capacity and good coverage, an improvement over the higher-frequency millimeter wave (mmWave) bands used in 5G. Artificial intelligence is foundational to the architecture of 6G, unlike in 5G where it was added on. 6G networks are being designed to be "AI-native," which will enable them to be self-optimizing and manage the massive data flows expected from future applications like holographic communications and advanced robotics. The push for American leadership in 6G is a stated policy of the U.S. government, which views the technology as critical for national security and economic competitiveness. In February 2024, the U.S. joined nine other countries in a joint statement outlining a shared vision for the development of 6G. The development of 6G is also exploring new capabilities like Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC). In a separate demonstration in Plano, Ericsson showcased how 6G networks could be used for drone detection, illustrating how the network can sense its environment in addition to providing communication. While commercial 6G networks are not expected until around 2030, the initial standardization work has already begun within the 3GPP, the global telecommunications standards body. Early pre-commercial trials are anticipated to start as early as 2028.
