March 4, 2025
6G Evolution
The launch of 6G is set to significantly improve on the capabilities of existing networks, offering faster speeds, lower latencies and greater reliability than 5G. The standard aims to achieve data rates of up to 1 terabyte per second and enable near-instantaneous data transfers for a wide range of applications including autonomous vehicles, IoT and augmented reality (AR).
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning within 6G networks- through technologies such as VIAVI’s NITRO AIOps will also enhance network management and optimize performance.
And while it’s still in the very early stages of development, organizations and governments have already announced 6G breakthroughs. While these breakthroughs are exciting, VIAVI is putting the technology to the test.
6G Forward
VIAVI’s 6G Forward program is leading the way in 6G innovation, proving technologies and delivering transformative solutions that enhance network efficiency, security, and accessibility. The program is built on collaboration and reinforced by four pillars of 6G development.
The program is run by a dedicated CTO Team working alongside VIAVI Marconi Labs® research scientists. Through the program, VIAVI has developed an unmatched understanding in the specific requirements of 6G use cases. This research is not only helping to move 6G forward; the applied technology is integrated into commercial products, creating pre-specification solutions for our customers to use now.
The VIAVI team is shaping next-gen technology. For example, a new ETSI working group, ETSI ISG MAT was officially launched with myself elected as co-vice chair with Bruno Clerckx from Imperial College London and chaired by Dr. David Vargas from the BBC. This group focuses on downlink multiple access techniques for the 3GPP radio interface. The group’s findings will influence 6G standardization.
This year, 6G Forward Research has focused on:
1. Energy Efficient Neuromorphic Receivers
Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based neural receivers replacing multiple signal processing blocks by a single NN has appeared as a promising solution to address the channel effects and hardware impairments with higher accuracy. But neural receivers consumes significantly higher power, leading to limited practical implementations. VIAVI has developed a neuromorphic receivers based on Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) for 6G applications that achieves comparable performance to a neural receiver but consumes a fraction of the power – approximately 90 percent less.
These neuromorphic receivers leverage neural network architectures to process complex communication signals and have been designed to adapt dynamically to varying channel conditions, enhancing signal processing capabilities.
2. AI Beam Management Technology
AI and machine learning-based beam management is among the most promising technologies for 6G and is currently being considered by the 3GPP as a work item. To optimize beamforming in next-generation networks, VIAVI’s AI-driven beam management techniques integrate neural networks on the user equipment side. This system features eight antennas at the transmitter and a single antenna at the receiver, enabling it to identify and select the optimal beam for downlink transmission. VIAVI’s AI-based method delivers the accuracy of full-beam sweeping, but with the halved latency and power consumption of half sweeping.
3. Semantic Communications for Extended Reality (XR)
6G will provide shorter buffering times with reduced lag for better extended reality experiences. Because of the sheer volume of data being moved, it is vital that only data that is truly important to the user experience is transmitted. To enable this, VIAVI is developing semantic communication strategies that prioritize the transmission of meaningful data over raw data, allowing less-critical information to be compressed and irrelevant data to be discarded.
4. Near-time Ray Tracing for Network Digital Twin
Ray tracing enables high-fidelity radio propagation emulation for 5G-Advanced and 6G network planning and optimization, as well as for digital twin applications.
VIAVI has developed a near-real-time GPU accelerated ray-tracing technology, which provides site-specific channel information for communication as well as sensing use cases, supporting dynamic scene changes. It supports all propagation mechanisms (line-of-sight, reflection, diffraction, diffuse scattering and penetration) and comes with a comprehensive material and antenna library, calibrated using field measurements for frequencies up to 70 GHz.
VIAVI’s ray tracer supports both outdoor as well as indoor environments – such as dense urban landscapes, smart factories or stadiums – enabling precise signal analysis, coverage optimization and interference detection. This allows network planning and optimization in a risk-free radio digital twin before physical deployment, reducing cost while improving performance and efficiency. When combined with VIAVI’s TM500 and TeraVM AI RSG, ray tracing enables a comprehensive network digital twin solution for 5G-advanced and 6G network testing through virtual drive tests.
5. Joint Communications and Sensing (JCAS)
JCAS is a candidate technology for 6G and enables the use of communication networks for the detection and localization of objects – from drones, robots and vehicles to static objects such as trees and buildings – to develop situational awareness in autonomous systems and smart environments. VIAVI has developed a JCAS testing capability using the cmWave FR3 (7-24 GHz) band and leveraging our real-time ray tracing software, with it being successfully tested in both indoor and outdoor environments.
6. AI Testing AI
Testing AI algorithms for 6G networks presents new opportunities and new AI-centric KPIs for wireless industry. The test strategy for 6G networks needs to be redesigned for testing AI-based solutions. For instance, most of the recent AI-based 6G algorithms focus on generalizability for some or all of the different sites / scenarios / configurations (signal-to-noise ratio, delay, Doppler, channel conditions, etc). Training such a generalizable network remains challenging because creating a large enough dataset to train on all possible wireless channels in all possible settings is impractical. Even with site-specific re-training, testing the performance of the AI algorithms remains a challenge.
VIAVI has developed a methodology for AI-based dynamic testcase generation and report creation to streamline the testing process of the 6G AI algorithms with both communication and AI-centric KPIs.
With the goal of providing state-of-the-art measurement and testing equipment and solutions, COMIT, in collaboration with VIAVI, is committed to supporting Vietnam's leading telecom operators in the installation and deployment of 5G networks. We are always ready to consult and research the challenges our customers face. Based on our expertise and the extensive experience of our team of specialists, COMIT is confident that we can deliver the best solutions to address our customers' difficulties.
Furthermore, to stay updated on the latest technological trends, VIAVI will be present at the world’s largest mobile and telecommunications exhibition, MWC Barcelona, from March 3 to March 6, 2025, at Booth A18, Hall 5. Join us to engage with experts and explore the future of 6G network deployment.