How the 6G rollout will learn from 5G’s mistakes

The telecoms industry, learning from 5G’s mistakes, is already laying a pragmatic and cost-conscious foundation for the 6G rollout.

A new report from ABI Research and InterDigital spotlights The 3rd Generation Partnership Project’s (3GPP) Release 20 as the critical bridge, finalising the 5G-Advanced era while simultaneously shaping the core principles of the next generation, with commercial deployments expected to begin after 2030.

Unlike the grand, technology-driven promises that accompanied 5G, the ambitions for 6G are being forged in the reality of operator challenges and the need for a clear return on investment. The rollout of 5G was far from perfect. The decision to split deployment into Non-Standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA) phases was intended to accelerate 5G’s arrival but created unforeseen complications. This approach delayed and complicated the deployment of SA architecture, which is essential for many advanced 5G features like network slicing.

The industry is determined to avoid a repeat of the “build it and they will come” approach, which resulted in a disappointing lack of commercial activity for many promised 5G applications. The design philosophy for 6G is therefore grounded in real-world operator needs, practical rollout challenges, and a clear path to monetisation from day one.

Currently in its deep research phase, the 6G effort is being driven by a more diverse group than its predecessor. While large vendors and operators remain central, cross-industry alliances and major tech companies like Apple, Google, NVIDIA, and Siemens are now actively contributing.

The focal point for this work is 3GPP Release 20, which began in June 2025 and has an estimated freeze date of June 2027. This release has a dual personality. Around half of its workload is dedicated to finalising 5G-Advanced, enhancing system-level performance for existing networks. The other half involves non-normative studies that will define 6G before the formal standardisation begins in Release 21. A decision on the timeline for Release 21 is expected by June 2026.

“Release 20 is the industry’s bridge between generations, leveraging a decade of 5G innovation and maturity into a launchpad for a smarter, more sustainable, and commercially viable 6G,” said Rajesh Pankaj, CTO at InterDigital.

“Our teams contribute extensive expertise and leadership in areas like ISAC and AI-native radio access networks to help shape more intelligent, efficient, and capable networks and new services under 6G.”

A central ambition for the 6G rollout is simplification. Developers aim to create a single, scalable air interface designed to support all device types from day one, from low-power Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to smartphones and wearables. This unified approach is expected to simplify deployments, create economies of scale, and enable a more straightforward integration across different network scenarios. This contrasts sharply with 5G’s highly configurable but complex options specifically for different use cases.

This new air interface is expected to be deployed in existing 5G frequency bands alongside a new upper mid-band, referred to as FR3, that spans from 7-24 GHz. This strategy aims to give operators more flexibility during the transition without degrading existing 5G services. The focus is squarely on reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for operators, particularly by lowering energy consumption and reusing existing infrastructure where possible.

Beyond simplification, 6G is being designed to be “AI-native,” where AI is not an add-on but an integral and core component of the system. AI will be used as the control logic for the network, enabling zero-touch provisioning and fully automated operations across the Radio Access Network (RAN) and core.

Perhaps the most revolutionary feature is Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC). This will allow cell sites and terminals to function as sensors, detecting motion, range, speed, and other parameters. This “beyond communications” capability could unlock entirely new business models and use cases that no other technology can provide. Potential applications range from detecting a fall or heart rate irregularities in a smart home to identifying unauthorised drones.

For consumers and businesses, the rollout of 6G will translate into tangible benefits. For smartphones, the goal is not just faster speeds but improved battery life, achieved through a more energy-efficient air interface. This efficiency will enable demanding mobile AI applications – such as real-time language translation and environmental sensing – to be offloaded to the network edge, preserving device performance and power. The extreme speeds and low latencies could also make holographic communication and truly immersive Extended Reality (XR) experiences a reality.

The impact extends to the wider device ecosystem. 6G aims to support ten times the number of connected IoT devices compared to 5G. For consumer electronics, it could finally solve the size and battery life barriers holding back AR and VR wearables by providing the connectivity fabric needed to offload processing to the cloud. In automotive, 6G’s reliability and low latency will enhance vehicle-to-everything communication, improving safety and enabling richer in-car experiences.

The path to this future is being carefully mapped out. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has published its vision for IMT-2030 which sets the stage for the formal process. Industry bodies like 3GPP will submit candidate technologies between 2026 and 2028, with the ITU evaluating proposals through to 2029.

 “6G is being shaped by a more diverse set of stakeholders,” said Dimitris Mavrakis, Senior Research Director at ABI Research. “From legacy innovators to hyper-scalers to AI pioneers, the consensus-driven approach behind Release 20 ensures that 6G will be more inclusive, resilient, and responsive to global market demands.”

Release 20 is the inflection point that allows operators to harvest the final gains of the 5G era through deployable 5G-Advanced features while they shape 6G fundamentals in labs and trials. When the 6G rollout arrives, it shouldn’t be a collection of disjointed technologies, but a cohesive, efficient, and commercially-viable platform for the 2030s and beyond.

See also: Ericsson expands ‘Made in India’ production to 6G

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Tags: 3gpp, 6g, connectivity, mobile, networks, release 20, standards, telecoms