Nokia and Rohde & Schwarz, a German electronics group, recently unveiled an AI-powered 6G receiver designed to tackle coverage challenges and accelerate the rollout of next-gen networks.
The new technology uses machine learning to counter limited coverage and signal distortions in high-frequency 6G bands, an issue the partners identified as one of the most significant technical hurdles to 6G deployment.
According to Nokia Bell Labs, the new AI-driven tool boosts uplink coverage by between 10 per cent to 25 per cent compared to today’s receivers. This allows operators to deploy 6G on existing 5G infrastructure, reducing network rollout costs and time to market. The AI-powered design also promises gains in throughput and power efficiency.
“One of the key issues facing future 6G deployments is the coverage limitations inherent in 6G’s higher-frequency spectrum”, said Peter Vetter, President of core research at Nokia Bell Labs. “By boosting the coverage of 6G receivers, however, AI technology will help us build 6G infrastructure over current 5G footprints”.
The prototype was developed by Nokia Bell Labs and validated using Rohde & Schwarz test equipment. The pair plan to showcase a proof-of-concept demo at next week’s Brooklyn 6G Summit.
Commercial 6G services are expected to launch in 2030. Nokia’s own 6G roadmap points to early standardisation kicking off alongside broader 5G Advanced rollouts this year, paving the way for deployment at the end of the decade.
Source: Mobile World Live
Image Credit: Stock Image
