6G news and analysis for the week ending Friday, 16th January, 2026.
The global contest to secure spectrum for 6G entered a new phase this week, with the message that the upper mid-band frequencies between 6 and 8 GHz will form the backbone of next-generation networks. Of course, telcos always want more spectrum and a new mobile G helps to frame their demands. Nokia haas published a comprehensive region-by-region assessment showing that administrations from Europe to the Middle East are shifting from exploration to preparation, with decisions now expected well ahead of WRC-27 in 2027. The blog detailed how Europe is targeting at least 650 MHz in the upper 6 GHz band, the US has up to 800 MHz under consideration following the Presidential Memorandum on “Winning the 6G Race,” (for the record, ‘6G Futures’ does not consider 6G to be a race...) and India is examining more than 1,300 MHz in the 6–8 GHz range. Crucially, Nokia also presented evidence from its own trials that mobile and Wi-Fi coexistence on the same frequencies poses a high risk of mutual interference — a finding with direct implications for regulators still weighing licensed versus unlicensed allocations.
Backing up the spectrum narrative with hard data, SoftBank and Nokia released results from outdoor 7 GHz band field trials conducted in Tokyo’s dense Ginza district. The trials demonstrated that the 7 GHz band can deliver coverage and communication quality comparable to the existing 3.9 GHz band used for 5G, aided by an urban “canyon effect” where building reflections actually improved signal propagation. These results are significant because they validate the centimetre-wave spectrum that international discussions have been circling for years.
On the vendor side, Samsung announced the first commercial call using its virtualised RAN solution on the latest Intel Xeon 6 processor, running on a single server on a Tier 1 US operator’s live network. The milestone positions single-server vRAN as a practical pathway toward AI-native, 6G-ready network architectures — consolidating functions that previously required multiple servers and reducing both power consumption and cost.
Key announcements this week
Nokia maps global 6G spectrum landscape
Nokia published an in-depth blog by spectrum specialists Mirela Andouard and Eiman Mohyeldin, mapping the global state of play for 6G spectrum allocation across all major regions ahead of WRC-27. The analysis draws on Nokia’s own field trial partnerships with operators including Telia, A1, BT, Orange, Telefonica, SoftBank, du and CST.
What’s new: The blog provides the most comprehensive vendor-authored overview of global 6G spectrum positioning to date. Europe’s RSPG has outlined a path to at least 665 MHz for 6G in the upper 6 GHz band. The US Presidential Memorandum “Winning the 6G Race” directs agencies to study up to 800 MHz of additional spectrum, including mandating completion of the 7.125–7.4 GHz study by end of 2026. India is examining over 1,300 MHz in the 6–8 GHz range and has confirmed the upper 6 GHz band for IMT in its updated national frequency table. China added IMT identification for the upper 6 GHz band in 2023, and Hong Kong completed the world’s first auction of this band in January 2025. Nokia also presented trial evidence that mobile and Wi-Fi coexistence on the same 6 GHz frequencies creates a high risk of performance degradation for both technologies.
Why this matters: The spectrum story is shifting from “if” to “how much and when.” With WRC-27 approaching, administrations are no longer debating the value of allocating upper mid-band spectrum for 6G — they are working out the quantities and timelines. The convergence across regions is notable: Europe, the US, India, Japan, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific are all moving in the same direction, though at different speeds. The coexistence finding is politically significant, as it directly challenges administrations that have favoured sharing the upper 6 GHz band between licensed mobile and unlicensed Wi-Fi.
Implications for 6G standards: 3GPP’s 6G specifications will need to accommodate whatever spectrum regulators make available. The emerging consensus on 6–8 GHz aligns with the FR3 (7–24 GHz) band that featured in virtually every major vendor submission to the March 2025 3GPP 6G Workshop. The industry’s call for at least 400–750 MHz of contiguous spectrum per operator will shape channel bandwidth requirements in Release 21.
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SoftBank validates 7 GHz band in dense urban trial
SoftBank, in partnership with Nokia, released results from outdoor 7 GHz band field trials conducted in Tokyo’s Ginza district since June 2025. Three experimental base stations were deployed in one of the world’s most densely built urban environments to evaluate propagation, coverage and communication quality against the existing 3.9 GHz band.
What’s new: The trials demonstrated that the 7 GHz band delivered performance comparable to 3.9 GHz in dense urban conditions. In line-of-sight environments, the higher frequency band actually benefited from the urban “canyon effect,” where signal reflections off buildings reduced attenuation and enabled broader-than-expected coverage. Non-line-of-sight areas showed almost no outage. SoftBank notes that centimetre-wave spectrum in the 6.4–8.4 GHz range can support 200 MHz or 400 MHz bandwidths, wider than those currently used for 5G.
Why this matters: Real-world trial data from challenging urban environments is essential to convincing regulators that upper mid-band spectrum is viable for 6G macro coverage. The Ginza results directly counter the assumption that higher frequencies inevitably mean shorter range and more dead spots. The canyon effect finding is particularly valuable for dense metropolitan deployments where building density, typically seen as an obstacle, actually aids propagation. With global mobile traffic expected to surge five- to nine-fold, the 3.9 GHz band could reach capacity around 2030, making new spectrum allocation urgent.
Implications for 6G standards: The results support the centimetre-wave frequency range that 3GPP is expected to standardise for 6G under the FR3 designation. SoftBank’s own 3GPP 6G Workshop submission emphasised smooth migration from existing 4G/5G assets, and validating the 7 GHz band in real-world conditions strengthens the case for early standardisation of this spectrum range.
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Samsung hits vRAN milestone on live US network
Samsung announced the completion of the industry’s first commercial call using its virtualised RAN (vRAN) solution with the Intel Xeon 6700P-B processor series on a Tier 1 US operator’s live network. The call ran on a single commercial off-the-shelf server from Hewlett Packard Enterprise with a cloud platform from Wind River.
What’s new: June Moon, EVP and Head of R&D for Networks at Samsung, said: “This breakthrough represents a major leap forward in network virtualization and efficiency.” The single-server approach consolidates software-driven network elements including mobile core, radio access, transport and security — functions that traditionally required multiple servers. The Intel Xeon 6 SoC features up to 72 cores, Intel Advanced Matrix Extensions (AMX) for AI processing, and built-in vRAN Boost acceleration. Cristina Rodriguez, VP and GM of Network & Edge at Intel, said the platform “enables greater consolidation of RAN and AI workloads, lowering power and total cost while speeding innovation.”
Why this matters: As operators transition to software-driven architectures, the ability to run RAN and AI workloads on fewer, more powerful servers is critical for both economics and sustainability. The single-server consolidation reduces power consumption, capex and opex. Analyst Daryl Schoolar of Recon Analytics described the achievement as showing “what future networks look like — more cloud-native, more scalable and significantly more efficient.” Samsung’s position as both a chipset maker and network equipment vendor gives it a distinctive ability to co-optimise hardware and software.
Implications for 6G standards: Samsung’s 3GPP 6G Workshop submission advocated for compact, simple architecture that avoids duplicated functionalities across RAN and core. This single-server vRAN milestone demonstrates the practical direction of that vision. The integration of AI workloads alongside RAN functions on a common platform aligns with the AI-native network architecture that is a central theme of 6G standardisation discussions.
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Wave Shine debuts active RIS at CES
Wave Shine demonstrated a Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) product at CES 2026, built on a custom chip fabricated on Samsung’s 28nm process. The device functions as an active “mirror” for 6G-candidate frequencies in the 7.7–8.5 GHz range, with beamforming capability across a 256-element antenna array. The product was profiled by the SemiAccurate website.
What’s new: Unlike passive RIS designs, Wave Shine’s product uses active beamforming on retransmission, meaning the angle of reflection is not constrained by the angle of incidence. The entire unit fits in a 30x30cm enclosure, consumes less than 1W, and can run on battery power. Configuration is handled via a smartphone app that shows the incoming signal direction, allowing the user to aim the reflected beam. The chip handles a 16×16 antenna array block, and multiple blocks can be combined.
Why this matters: RIS technology has been extensively discussed in 6G research circles and featured in multiple 3GPP 6G Workshop submissions, but practical commercial hardware has been scarce. Wave Shine’s product is one of the first to offer a consumer-accessible form factor with active beam steering. The low power consumption and simple installation could make RIS deployment viable for coverage extension in dead spots, inside buildings with signal-blocking construction materials, and on industrial floors with large metal obstructions.
Implications for 6G standards: RIS is an active area of study for 6G, with vendors including Vestel Electronics and research bodies such as ITRI highlighting its potential in 3GPP submissions. The appearance of commercial hardware operating in the 7.7–8.5 GHz range reinforces the emerging ecosystem around upper mid-band frequencies. Standardisation of RIS interfaces and control protocols remains at an early stage, but products like this could accelerate the process.
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Germany launches Open6GHub+ transfer hub
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) has launched Open6GHub+, a national 6G transfer hub operational from 1 January 2026. The hub succeeds the completed Open6GHub basic research programme and is tasked with translating research results into industrial applications, standards contributions and commercial products. Prof. Hans Dieter Schotten, coordinator, said:
“Together with industry, we want to develop and test solutions at an early stage that prove themselves in real networks.”
What’s new: Open6GHub+ is coordinated by the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and brings together eight leading research institutions including FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, Fraunhofer FOKUS, KIT, TU Darmstadt and the University of Stuttgart. Key focus areas include AI-based network functions, generative AI for mobile communications specification, digital twins for network testing, 3D networks integrating ground-based and non-terrestrial platforms, and intelligent 6G modems “Made in Europe.”
Why this matters: The launch implements a central element of the BMFTR’s 6G Research Roadmap published in December 2025. Germany, which accounts for 7.8 per cent of 3GPP membership through ETSI, is positioning the hub as a bridge between its substantial research base and the 3GPP standardisation process. The emphasis on “Made in Europe” 6G modems and autonomous subnets reflects broader European concerns about technological sovereignty and supply chain resilience.
Implications for 6G standards: The hub’s work on AI-based network functions, ICAS (Integrated Communication and Sensing) and NTN integration maps directly onto active 3GPP study items. The mission-oriented structure with industry sponsors is designed to ensure that research outputs are standards-ready, potentially accelerating Germany’s influence in Release 21 work items.
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India’s minister declares 6G leadership ambition
India’s Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, outlined the country’s ambition to lead in 6G, moving from technology adoption to authorship in global standards. The comments, compiled from various industry events, were published by Tele.net.in. Of course, this should be treated as aspirational policy rhetoric. Whilst the ambition is genuine, India’s 6G track record is still being built and as we have noted in previous newsletters persistent challenges remain.
What’s new: Scindia stated: “With 6G, the ambition is to lead.” He argued that India, with 17 per cent of the world’s population and the second-largest telecom market, “can no longer be ignored in global standard-setting bodies such as the ITU and 3GPP.” The minister called for a comprehensive approach spanning the entire 6G value chain — technology, spectrum, devices, applications and outreach — including pushing Indian standards internationally and analysing how global spectrum trends affect India’s refarming and future needs.
Why this matters: India has moved from 5G follower (after an interesting but short-lived diversion in creating its own 5G standard) to an increasingly active participant in 6G development. The country has achieved its own domestic 4G stack, funded national 6G research testbeds, and is growing its patent portfolio. India’s TSDSI is a 3GPP Organisational Partner with 54 member companies. However, the rhetoric must be weighed against ongoing challenges including uneven 5G rollout, relatively lower R&D expenditure than leading 6G nations, and disappointing recent spectrum auctions. The upper 6 GHz spectrum allocation decision will be a concrete test of the government’s stated intent.
Implications for 6G standards: India’s decisions on the 6–8 GHz band, where it is examining over 1,300 MHz for IMT use, will directly influence the global spectrum landscape that 3GPP specifications must accommodate. Active participation from Indian researchers and companies in 3GPP working groups will be essential to translate political ambition into standards influence.
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Selected research papers published this week
Taxonomic framework for ISAC security in 6G
Researchers Chandra Thapa and Surya Nepal have published a comprehensive security taxonomy for Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems, covering the full spectrum of threats, vulnerabilities and defence mechanisms relevant to 6G perceptive networks. The paper was published on arXiv.
Why this matters: As ISAC moves from concept to standardisation within 3GPP, the security implications of networks that simultaneously communicate and sense their environment become critical. The paper addresses threat propagation, vulnerabilities at design, physical, computational and architectural levels, and emerging challenges including quantum resilience and AI-hardening. This structured analysis fills a gap in the literature by linking threats to defences across multiple dimensions, providing a reference for both researchers and policymakers developing ISAC security standards.