Speaking live from the 3GPP plenary meeting in Prague, Juan Montojo, Vice President of Technical Standards at Qualcomm Technologies, shares where mobile networks are headed as 6G development begins. Improving coverage, energy and spectral efficiency, and user experience are at the center of these early-stage efforts - all while reducing the cost to deliver data.
A defining feature of 6G will be the integration of AI. Unlike 5G, where AI was layered on after launch, 6G will build AI directly into the system. Montojo reflects on the 4G to 5G migration, highlighting lessons that will help 6G rollouts be more seamless, particularly the push for standalone deployment.
From Giga-MIMO and integrated sensing to next-gen satellite connectivity and improved localization, new technologies are already in early development stages. 3GPP standards will continue through the decade, with 6G specifications expected by 2029 and commercial deployments in the early 2030s. With foundational work happening now, Montojo emphasizes that this next generation will offer meaningful improvements for both users and operators.