Countdown to Open and Intelligent 6G: Laying the Groundwork for Day-One Readiness

Why It Matters

A clear, open, and AI‑native 6G foundation will determine whether operators can monetize new services quickly or remain constrained by legacy, proprietary architectures.

Key Takeaways

• 6G specification expected by Q1 2029, study phase now.
• Core network design split: evolve 5G core vs new AI‑native architecture.
• ORAN pushes open, programmable interfaces as baseline for 6G.
• Industry consensus medium; divergent views on spectrum, LDPC, modulation.
• Continuous, modular feature delivery prioritized over monolithic 5‑year cycles.

Summary

The panel convened by the ORAN Alliance examined the emerging 6G roadmap, emphasizing that the first formal 6G specification is slated for the first quarter of 2029 after a current study‑item phase. Participants from Fujitsu, AT&T, and Qualcomm outlined parallel tracks: a 3GPP‑driven study and an ORAN‑led open‑front‑haul project expected to launch mid‑year, both feeding into the eventual spec.

Key technical debates focus on whether to retain 5G‑era components or introduce new ones. LDPC coding will likely persist, but engineers aim to simplify device complexity. Modulation schemes and carrier bandwidth—potentially expanding to 400 MHz for sensing use cases—are under scrutiny. Perhaps most consequential is the core‑network question: evolve the existing 5G core or build an AI‑native architecture that integrates compute workloads. Consensus among stakeholders is described as “medium,” reflecting divergent regional business models and ecosystem priorities.

Rob Sony’s remarks captured the industry’s tension: operators are busy modernizing 5G, yet pressure mounts to adopt AI‑native, open solutions now. He warned against waiting for a monolithic 6G release, urging continuous, modular innovation. Femi Admy highlighted the dual‑track approach, while Lorenzo Kazacha stressed the need for simplicity and open interfaces to avoid fragmenting the market.

The discussion signals that vendors and operators must align on open, programmable standards and adopt a steady‑state delivery model rather than decade‑long upgrade cycles. Failure to do so could lock the industry into proprietary silos, hampering the commercial case for advanced use cases such as integrated sensing and communications.

Original Description

While current O-RAN specifications were completed after work on LTE and 5G was already in place, this session explored the views of operators and vendors on how to steer the development of future network generations. The discussion focused on achieving 6G with embedded intelligence and openness from Day One.

Moderator: Gabriel Brown, Senior Principal Analyst, Mobile Networks, Omdia

Featuring:

Femi Adeyemi, VP and Head of Strategic Product Management, 1Finity

Rob Soni, VP RAN Technology, AT&T

Lorenzo Casaccia, VP & Head of Technology Standards, Qualcomm Technologies

First broadcast: March 2026

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