6G news and analysis for the week ending Friday, 19th December, 2025.
The biggest development this week comes from the White House. President Trump signed a memorandum titled “Winning the 6G Race,” directing federal agencies to begin the process of reallocating spectrum in the 7.125–7.4 GHz band for commercial licensed use. The memorandum also orders studies on the 2.69–2.9 GHz and 4.4–4.94 GHz bands, and instructs the State Department to build an international coalition ahead of WRC-27. This is the most concrete US government action on 6G spectrum to date, and it moves the conversation from aspiration to implementation.
South Korea continues its systematic build-out of AI-RAN capability. Samsung signed separate agreements with both SK Telecom and KT Corporation this fortnight, covering joint development of AI-RAN technologies for the 6G era. The Samsung-KT partnership produced a notable result: the first successful validation of AI-RAN optimisation on a live commercial network, demonstrating measurable reductions in connection failures for real users. This builds on KT’s earlier Nokia-based AI-RAN trial and adds Samsung’s technology to the evidence base.
Elsewhere, Europe’s first dedicated in-orbit 6G laboratory, the 6GStarLab satellite, was successfully launched and is now being commissioned for tests. ZTE and China Mobile secured approval for what they describe as the first international standard for 6G transmission. And Deutsche Telekom concluded its three-year 6G-TakeOff research project on 3D non-terrestrial network integration.
Trump orders spectrum action to win the 6G “race”
President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum titled “Winning the 6G Race,” directing multiple federal agencies to take concrete steps to secure US leadership in next-generation wireless. The memorandum was published on 19th December 2025. It describes 6G as “foundational to the national security, foreign policy, and economic prosperity of the United States” and links it to AI, robotics and “implantable technologies.”
What’s new: The memorandum directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to begin relocating federal systems from the 7.125–7.4 GHz band to other frequencies, including 7.4–8.4 GHz, and to submit results within 12 months. Pursuant to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the same band is to be identified for reallocation to full-power commercial licensed use. Separate studies are ordered on the 2.69–2.9 GHz and 4.4–4.94 GHz bands. The State Department is instructed to build an international coalition supporting US positions at WRC-27, specifically on Agenda Item 1.7.
Why this matters: This is the most significant US government intervention on 6G spectrum to date. The 7.125–7.4 GHz band sits squarely in the upper mid-band range that the global industry has identified as the primary new spectrum for 6G. By directing relocation of federal incumbents rather than merely studying coexistence, the memorandum signals intent to clear the band for exclusive commercial use. The 12-month deadline creates a forcing function. The diplomatic engagement provisions are equally important: the US is positioning itself to lead the WRC-27 negotiation on 6G spectrum, building a coalition of allies to support its preferred allocation approach. The reference to “implantable technologies” alongside AI and robotics hints at the breadth of use cases the administration envisions for 6G.
Implications for 6G standards: The 7.125–7.4 GHz band aligns with the centimetre-wave (FR3) frequency range that 3GPP is expected to standardise for 6G. US commitment to clearing this band strengthens the global case for upper mid-band allocation and adds momentum to the convergence already visible across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The coalition-building effort around WRC-27 could accelerate international harmonisation, which in turn simplifies the standards process by narrowing the range of frequency configurations that 3GPP must support.
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Samsung and KT validate AI-RAN on a live commercial network
Samsung Electronics and KT Corporation announced the successful validation of AI-based RAN optimisation technology on KT’s commercial network. The test, conducted with approximately 18,000 users in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, demonstrated measurable reductions in connection failures. This follows simulation-based verification completed in June and marks the first successful demonstration of the technology on a live network. JinGuk Jeong, EVP and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Research, said:
“This is a major milestone that shows how AI can improve user experience on real-world commercial networks.”
What’s new: Unlike traditional network configurations applied uniformly to all devices at a base station, the AI-RAN technology applies optimal settings for each individual user based on real-time wireless conditions. The system uses AI to learn from a user’s movement patterns and usage history, predicting potential disruptions before they occur. The field test showed significant drops in connection failures among users who had previously experienced frequent disruptions, with improvements also recorded for other users in the area.
Why this matters: This is the second commercial AI-RAN validation by a Korean operator in 2025, following KT’s earlier trial with Nokia equipment in Naju (covered in our 29th August edition). The Samsung-KT test takes a different approach: where the Nokia trial focused on AI-based channel estimation and MU-MIMO at the network level, the Samsung validation targets per-user optimisation based on individual behaviour patterns. The progression from simulation to commercial network validation with 18,000 real users provides the kind of evidence that moves AI-RAN from research concept to operational capability. Both companies are members of the AI-RAN Alliance.
Implications for 6G standards: Per-user AI-driven optimisation represents a step toward the “sustainable user experience” philosophy that Samsung advocated in its 3GPP 6G Workshop submission. The commercial data from this trial will inform 3GPP’s ongoing study items on AI/ML interfaces within the RAN, particularly around how AI models interact with scheduling and resource allocation functions.
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Samsung and SK Telecom partner on AI-RAN for 6G
Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop core 6G technologies, with a primary focus on AI-RAN. Samsung Research and SKT’s Network Technology Office will lead the collaboration, covering AI-based channel estimation, distributed MIMO transmission, AI-RAN schedulers and core network architectures. JinGuk Jeong, EVP at Samsung Research, said:
“Through field-focused collaboration with SKT, we will be able to verify the effectiveness of AI-based wireless technologies in real-world settings.”
What’s new: The collaboration targets four specific technology areas. AI-based channel estimation predicts and corrects signal transmission in real time. Distributed MIMO enables multiple base stations to work together rather than a single station handling all processing. AI-RAN schedulers determine optimal data routing when many devices are connected simultaneously. The companies are also collaborating through the AI-RAN Alliance, where they jointly proposed an AI-based channel estimation technology that was approved as a work item.
Why this matters: This MOU complements Samsung’s separate partnership with KT (see above) and its existing MOU with SoftBank (covered in our 31st October edition). Samsung is now partnered with three of Asia’s most active operators on AI-RAN research. SK Telecom’s involvement is significant given its role as a founding member of the AI-RAN Alliance and its increasingly vocal advocacy for AI-native 6G architecture. The emphasis on field verification using SKT’s nationwide network gives Samsung access to real-world operating data that simulation environments cannot replicate.
Implications for 6G standards: The joint work on AI-based channel estimation through the AI-RAN Alliance creates a direct pipeline from collaborative research to potential standards input. Distributed MIMO and AI-driven scheduling are both areas where 3GPP Release 20 and 21 study items are expected to define new interfaces and procedures.
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ZTE claims first 6G transmission standard at ITU-T
ZTE and China Mobile, along with partners including State Grid and China Southern Power Grid, announced several breakthroughs in the Slicing Packet Network (SPN) / Metro Transport Network (MTN) technology system at the ITU-T SG15 standards meeting in Geneva. The 800G MTN standard was approved as what ZTE describes as “the first proposed international standard for 6G transmission.”
What’s new: The 800G MTN interface standard doubles the single-port rate from 400 Gbps in the 5G era, while also reducing end-to-end latency and supporting more flexible hard-slicing pipes. A separate standard for data centre synchronisation (G.Sup92) was released, and a technical white paper on Metro Transport Network was published. ZTE says the white paper marks the official recognition by ITU-T SG15 of the evolution path from SDH to SPN, positioning MTN as the successor to legacy transport technologies.
Why this matters: Transport network standards receive less attention than radio access, but they are essential infrastructure. The 800G capacity addresses the bandwidth demands that 6G’s increased radio throughput will place on backhaul and midhaul networks. The extension into data centre interconnection through the synchronisation standard reflects the broader industry trend toward converging telecoms and computing infrastructure. However, the claim of “first international standard for 6G transmission” should be treated with caution. ITU-T SG15 standards cover transport network technologies used across multiple generations; the 800G MTN standard is an evolution of existing MTN specifications rather than a standard defined exclusively for 6G.
Implications for 6G standards: While the 800G MTN standard will indeed support 6G transport requirements, transport standards at ITU-T follow a different process from the 3GPP radio and system architecture specifications that define each mobile generation. The standard is best understood as part of the ongoing evolution of optical transport infrastructure that will underpin 6G deployments.
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Europe’s first in-orbit 6G laboratory reaches space
Open Cosmos, a UK-based satellite mission services company, has successfully launched and begun commissioning the 6GStarLab satellite, described as Europe’s first in-orbit laboratory for 6G experiments. The craft was launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 15 at the end of November and is now being prepared for in-space tests. The project was developed in partnership with i2CAT, a Barcelona-based research centre specialising in advanced digital technologies.
What’s new: The 6GStarLab will enable experimental validation of new communication technologies in a real space environment. The satellite will evaluate 6G communication frequencies using multi-frequency devices and incorporates an optical terminal for enhanced satellite-to-ground communications. i2CAT awarded a €1.65 million contract to Open Cosmos for the design, manufacture, integration, launch and commissioning of the satellite. Rafel Jordà Siquier, CEO of Open Cosmos, said: “6GStarLab and the new Open Constellation satellite embody the future of our sector.”
Why this matters: Most 6G NTN research to date has relied on ground-based simulations and testbeds. An operational in-orbit laboratory provides a fundamentally different testing environment, allowing researchers to validate how candidate 6G technologies perform under actual space conditions, including radiation, thermal cycling and real propagation paths. The inclusion of an optical terminal is notable: free-space optical links between satellites and ground stations are being studied as a potential complement to radio-frequency feederlinks for 6G NTN architectures. The European origin is also significant, given the EU’s investment in digital sovereignty and the prominence of NTN integration in European 6G research programmes.
Implications for 6G standards: Multiple 3GPP 6G Workshop submissions from Airbus, ESA, Thales and others called for NTN to be integrated into 6G from day one. In-orbit experimental data will be valuable for validating the assumptions underlying 6G NTN specifications. The multi-frequency testing capability is particularly relevant as 3GPP considers which bands and configurations to support for satellite access in Release 21.
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Deutsche Telekom concludes 6G-TakeOff 3D network research
Deutsche Telekom led a 19-partner research consortium that has concluded the three-year 6G-TakeOff project, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. The project focused on 3D networks where ground-based base stations are complemented by airborne platforms and satellites within a unified 6G architecture. Results were presented at a closing event at the University of Bremen.
What’s new: The consortium developed several demonstrators. A 3D network testbed at the University of Bremen tested device handover between ground stations, UAVs and satellite hardware mounted on a 146-metre tower; this testbed will remain operational beyond the project. The team demonstrated that mobile edge computing can work for non-terrestrial networks, enabling temporary, on-demand network deployments. Novel lightweight beamforming antenna designs were developed for UAV feederlinks, along with new beam-steering methods for tracking moving airborne platforms. The project generated seven patent applications. Thomas Lips, SVP RAN Disaggregation & Enablement at Deutsche Telekom, said the project “has laid a strong foundation for further cross-industry cooperation towards 6G.”
Why this matters: This is the second major German government-funded 6G project to conclude this autumn, following the 6G NeXt project reported in our 26th September edition. Where 6G NeXt focused on XR and cloud-native orchestration, 6G-TakeOff tackled the specific challenge of integrating terrestrial and non-terrestrial network components into a coherent architecture. The breadth of the 19-partner consortium, spanning aerospace (Airbus, DLR), semiconductor (NXP, IMST), equipment (Rohde & Schwarz), operator (Deutsche Telekom, O2 Telefónica) and industrial users (John Deere, ZF Friedrichshafen), reflects the cross-sector nature of NTN development. The UAV feederlink work is particularly practical: connecting airborne base stations to the core network remains one of the key engineering challenges for 3D networks.
Implications for 6G standards: Deutsche Telekom’s own 3GPP 6G Workshop submission emphasised disaggregated RAN architecture with open interfaces. The 6G-TakeOff findings on 3D network handover, NTN edge computing and beamforming antenna design are directly relevant to the NTN specifications expected in Release 21. The consortium’s inclusion of industrial users such as John Deere and ZF ensures that the research reflects real-world requirements rather than purely academic scenarios.