Verizon is gathering an alliance of the biggest players in telecoms to map out the capabilities of 6G and the use cases it should enable.
The US network giant has pulled back the curtain on its 6G Innovation Forum, an alliance designed to stop 6G from being a chaotic free-for-all and instead shape it collaboratively from the very beginning.
For its 6G alliance, Verizon has assembled the companies who build the networks – Ericsson, Samsung, and Nokia – alongside the innovators who create the chips and devices we use every day, like Qualcomm and Meta.
The mission of the telecoms industry’s version of The Avengers? To figure out what 6G should even be used for. They’re starting now to dream up gadgets and killer apps so that when 6G technology arrives, it can enable these futuristic use cases.
Joe Russo, EVP & President, Global Networks and Technology at Verizon, said: “We were the first in the world to turn up 5G and continue to enhance our best, most reliable and fastest 5G network in ways that open the door to possibilities far beyond what we can imagine today.”
He believes the work being done now on 5G Advanced is paving the way for what’s next.
“5G Advanced lays the foundation for the 6G future,” Russo explained, “whether that’s new wearables, AI experiences, or entirely new use cases we haven’t even thought of yet, and that’s what excites me the most.”
At its core, this 6G alliance push by Verizon is about building the nervous system for the next generation of technology, especially AI. For years, Verizon has used AI behind the scenes to keep its networks running smoothly.
With 6G, the goal is to create a network so fast and responsive that it can power real-time AI for everyone. Imagine truly smart cities, or businesses managing massive AI tasks on the fly.
Charlie Zhang, SVP of Samsung Research America, commented: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Verizon to revolutionise the future of wireless communication with 6G and AI technologies, building on the large-scale vRAN capabilities developed together to unlock innovative user experiences in the 6G era.”
The forum is getting its hands dirty straight away. They’ll be experimenting with new radio frequencies and making sure that whatever they create plays nicely with global standards, so a device that works in London will also work in Los Angeles.
To make this happen, Verizon is setting up dedicated 6G Labs, starting with a new hub in Los Angeles. These labs will act as sandpits where partners can come together to build, test, and break the very first versions of 6G tech in a real-world setting.
Verizon and its partners are clearly serious about moving from futuristic ideas to tangible reality, preparing for a world where our 6G connection is more intelligent than ever before and supports a wave of new innovations.
See also: EE deploys world-first solution for slow 5G speeds in crowds
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