At Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Ericsson highlighted its leadership in shaping the global 6G ecosystem, as the industry shifts from early concepts to commercial readiness.
With the first implementable 3GPP specifications expected by 2029, Ericsson is working closely with partners to build interoperability and validation frameworks that communication service providers will need for future 6G deployment.
The company’s focus is on creating an AI-native network foundation, described as an “intelligent fabric,” where intelligence is embedded across every layer of the network. This includes radios powered by Ericsson Silicon, as well as AI integration across RAN compute, transport, OSS/BSS, management systems, and the core network.
This approach is designed to enable autonomous networks and support advanced applications such as GenAI, agentic AI, and physical AI, while also improving uplink performance and energy efficiency.
Ericsson’s ecosystem collaborations were a key highlight at the event. The company is working with Intel to advance AI-native 6G across compute, connectivity, and cloud systems. It is also contributing to the Linux Foundation’s OCUDU initiative to support open and portable network architectures.
In addition, Ericsson is partnering with NVIDIA to develop AI-driven open platforms across network layers, and is part of an industry coalition with Qualcomm to define a roadmap for 6G commercial systems starting from 2029.
Erik Ekudden, Group Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson, says: “We are already on the journey toward an intelligent fabric, and it is happening right now. With clear proof points across the entire network, we are proving that a fully AI-powered network is not a distant capability five years out. By bringing intelligence into every domain today, we are giving the industry the foundation it needs to scale the next generation of AI.”
Ericsson also played a central role in advancing the 6G device ecosystem. It collaborated with Qualcomm Technologies to validate key physical-layer technologies, including cmWave exploration in the 6–8 GHz range. With MediaTek, it demonstrated a successful data call using a 6G testbed and prototype device, highlighting reduced latency and support for AI-driven extended reality applications.
In another demonstration, Ericsson and Apple showcased Multi-RAT Spectrum Sharing between 5G and a simulated 6G system, enabling smoother network transitions without resource inefficiencies.
Ericsson emphasised that the journey to 6G begins with existing technologies such as 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced. It urged communication service providers to prepare early, as the foundation for future networks is already being built through current deployments and ecosystem collaboration.
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