{"id":42848,"date":"2025-11-17T00:01:35","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T00:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/?p=42848"},"modified":"2025-12-03T06:12:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T06:12:28","slug":"nokia-interview-6g-to-focus-on-efficiency-more-than-mobile-broadband-speed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/11\/nokia-interview-6g-to-focus-on-efficiency-more-than-mobile-broadband-speed.html","title":{"rendered":"Nokia Interview – 6G to Focus on Efficiency More than Mobile Broadband Speed"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Head of Standards at Nokia Technologies, Peter Merz, has today told ISPreview – as part of our latest interview – that they’re conscious of wanting to avoid what mobile operators call \u201cG-fatigue<\/em>\u201d (over-hyping) with their development of future 6G mobile (broadband) technology, which he says will be more about “intelligence and efficiency<\/em>” than raw data throughput.<\/p>\n

The future 6G standard<\/a><\/strong> is currently still in the early Research and Development (R&D) phase, and most observers don\u2019t expect to see the first commercial network builds surfacing until around 2030 (note: some countries do expect early field trials around 2028). Suffice to say that a lot of work is currently ongoing to help produce the final standard and develop prototype solutions, which is where Nokia Technologies plays a big role.<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong> 3GPP currently aim to complete the specs for 6G networks and terminals by 2029.<\/div>\n

The next gen mobile technology is currently thought to be aiming for theoretical peak data rates of up to 1Tbps<\/strong> (Terabits per second) and may be able to harness radio spectrum up to the TeraHertz<\/strong> (THz) bands, while also using AI optimisations, new antenna designs and other changes to improve network efficiency. By comparison, 5G<\/a> was designed to work between 450MHz and 52GHz, with top theoretical speeds of up to 20Gbps (Gigabits per second).<\/p>\n

However, in practical terms, it\u2019s worth noting that the final 6G technology will almost certainly end up being constrained by the real-world restrictions of existing data capacity and spectrum availability, with most UK mobile operators preferring to harness more economically viable lower and mid-band spectrum between 700MHz and 4GHz.<\/p>\n

Naturally, you can get faster data speeds from using even higher frequencies, but this tends to make the signals very weak and offers poor coverage. However, there remain various unknowns about what the final 6G standard will actually deliver.<\/p>\n

Nokia, alongside Ericsson, is currently one of the European market’s largest suppliers of mobile network technologies and related services. Suffice to say that they, via Nokia Technologies, have a lot of input into how the new standard is developing and naturally ISPreview wanted to understand more about what it might actually mean for consumers.<\/p>\n

The good news, as Peter Merz<\/strong> says, is that 6G’s “defining feature isn\u2019t raw throughput – it\u2019s intelligence and efficiency<\/em>“. Peter has been at Nokia for nearly 19 years and is responsible for shaping the evolution of access and core network technologies, as well as spearheading innovations across the automation and service delivery layers. So who better to answer some of our questions about the future mobile technology.<\/p>\n

The Peter Merz (Nokia Technologies) Interview<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

1. Over the past few years we’ve heard about a number of technological enhancements being associated with 6G, such as the ability to harness Terahertz (THz) spectrum bands (i.e. 100GHz to 10THz) – potentially pushing data speeds of up to 100Gbps as a theoretical peak, as well as new antenna designs and so forth.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now we’re also getting closer to the development of an early draft technical standard for 6G. Can Nokia provide a simple summary of the five main technological enhancements that you expect 6G to include and explain why they’re beneficial, as well as how fast the theoretical speeds might become for different environments?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Merz said:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At Nokia we define 6G as the next-generation system that fuses the physical, digital and human worlds, moving networks beyond connectivity into platforms enabling sensing, intelligence, and immersive interaction.<\/p>\n

In our work architecting 6G, we\u2019re ensuring 6G standardization includes the following major technological enhancements:<\/p>\n

\"Nokia<\/p>\n

1. AI-native by design:<\/strong> Unlike previous generations, we\u2019re designing 6G with intelligence built in from day one \u2013 you can\u2019t bolt intelligence on, it has to be included from the start. This will enable radios, protocols, and network functions to adapt in real-time, ensuring predictable performance, lower energy consumption, and autonomous operations<\/strong>. This reduces complexity for operators and enables networks to essentially manage themselves.<\/p>\n

2. Modular, future-proof standalone architecture<\/strong>: We are advocating for a single, modular, and future-proof 6G architecture specifically to avoid unnecessary complexity, support modular deployment, and enable long-term sustainability and ROI for operators. We see this as ensuring 6G can co-exist with existing 5G<\/a> assets and allow for smoother migration paths with the ability to scale networks as needed. This sustainable approach also maximizes the lifecycle of the existing infrastructure. In terms of speeds, modular architectures will be capable of supporting tailored deployments, with speeds optimized for specific environments\u2014ranging from multi-gigabit connections in urban areas to hundreds of Mbps in remote regions.<\/p>\n

3. Lean, scalable, and implementation-friendly system design: <\/strong>It\u2019s important the 6G radio interface avoids the fragmentation challenges we have seen in 5G<\/a>. A single, scalable technology stack for devices, RAN, and core networks will ensure faster adoption, and cost-efficient development and deployment across the ecosystem. Not only does this simplify integration for device manufacturers and operators, but it will also reduce time-to-market and lower operational costs.<\/p>\n

4. Continuous learning and optimization: <\/strong>AI-native 6G networks are being designed for continuous learning and dynamic adaptation. This means that both user equipment (UE) and network-side machine learning (ML) models can evolve autonomously, utilizing real-time data to optimize performance. The benefit comes from eliminating the need for frequent specification updates, making the network more agile and future-proof.<\/p>\n

By learning from data and adapting, 6G networks can self-optimize, which reduces the operational complexity for operators while delivering superior performance for users. This means that networks can adapt to changing demands, including varying traffic patterns or use cases.<\/p>\n

This continuous optimization could enable peak speeds in localized hotspots, such as stadiums or event venues, while stable and reliable performance is maintained in suburban and rural areas delivering consistent connectivity across diverse environments.<\/p>\n

5. Predictability, explainability, trust, and fit for the future<\/strong>: Our work is leading the development of frameworks to validate AI\/ML behavior post-deployment to ensure predictability, explainability, and trust in 6G networks. This includes aligning AI cycles with Telco cycles to maximize technology developments.<\/p>\n

By ensuring AI systems are transparent and explainable, we aim to build trust among operators, users, and regulators. This is critical for enabling the widespread adoption of future AI-driven networks while also ensuring compliance with emerging global standards.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. In the past, the development and introduction of a new Generation (G) of mobile technology has often been accompanied by a ridiculous amount of hype, which seems to get worse with every new generational update, and yet the real-world experiences don’t always live up to that. In fairness, this often just as much of an issue for local market regulation, network capacity and spectrum management as it is one of technology.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regardless, we’re expecting the same hype train again for 6G, which is likely to boast some wild capabilities that perhaps won’t always end up being widely adopted or which could have been done similarly well by the previous generation (5G SA, 5G or even 4G<\/a> etc.), without the need for 6G. Are you expecting something like this for 6G too, or is it likely to be more of an evolution than a revolution this time around?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Merz said:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It’s true that every new \u201cG\u201d has been accompanied by a wave of expectations, and sometimes the reality takes longer to catch up. We\u2019re very conscious of avoiding what operators call \u201cG-fatigue.\u201d That\u2019s why we\u2019re shaping 6G as a <\/span>smooth evolution of 5G<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

The 6G radio interface is being designed to be lean, implementation-friendly and scalable. This avoids the fragmentation seen in 5G and supports high performance with minimal complexity, enabling faster deployment and broader adoption.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nokia is advocating for a single, scalable architecture that avoids unnecessary complexity. This supports modular deployment, reuse, and coexistence\u2014critical for long-term sustainability and operator benefits (ROI).<\/span><\/p>\n

Nokia\u2019s 6G architecture embeds AI\/ML natively from day one across radio, core, and edge. This enables real-time adaptation, predictive performance, and autonomous operation, rather than bolting AI on top of legacy systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

This modular by design, future-proof by nature approach means operators can protect investments while steadily upgrading.<\/span><\/p>\n

The step-change isn\u2019t just about higher peak speeds – it\u2019s about <\/span>AI-native design<\/span><\/strong>,<\/span><\/b> automation, and sensing that will make networks smarter, greener, and more adaptable from day one. – AI-Native by Design, Not Retrofit<\/span><\/p>\n

While some futuristic capabilities will be showcased, we expect 6G\u2019s true impact to come from <\/span>practical improvements<\/span><\/strong> (see chart)- lower energy per bit, more predictable performance, and new applications in healthcare, transport, and immersive collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n

There will always be bold claims. The difference this time is that <\/b><\/span>6G is being designed with today\u2019s and future operator realities in mind<\/span><\/strong>. We\u2019re delivering a smoother, more cost-efficient migration path rather than a hype-fuelled revolution that risks overpromising.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Speaking of which, we note how the next generation of wireless Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn \u2013 Ultra High Reliability) networking technology is going in a bit of a different direction. Put another way, if Wi-Fi 7 was – and I’m over simplifying here – more about pushing ever faster peak speeds, then Wi-Fi 8 seems to be aiming to focus more on pulling greater network reliability, efficiency and congestion management from a finite amount of spare radio spectrum. More than a few people have suggested that this should be the focus for 6G development too, would you agree?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Merz said:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

While new spectrum and higher peak speeds will always be part of the story, <\/span>6G\u2019s defining feature isn\u2019t raw throughput – it\u2019s intelligence and efficiency.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Operators tell us they need networks that behave more like utility\/critical infrastructure – consistent, predictable, secure and resilient. That\u2019s why 6G networks won\u2019t just run, they\u2019ll learn, continuously optimising performance in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Wi-Fi 8, 6G will squeeze more value out of finite spectrum through <\/span>sharing, aggregation, and adaptive radios<\/span><\/strong>, ensuring operators can deliver more without exponential new deployments. Where Wi-Fi 8 focuses on reliability in the local domain, 6G extends that principle globally \u2013 integrating terrestrial, satellite<\/a>, and sensing capabilities so performance i<\/b>s <\/b><\/span>consistent at scale, not just in hotspots.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

So yes, we agree, <\/b><\/span>6G is about smarter, greener, and more reliable networks, not just faster ones.<\/span><\/strong> Peak speeds matter, but the real breakthrough will networks that adapt intelligently to whatever the world throws at them.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Please flick over to Page 2 in order to finish reading the interview.<\/p>\n


\n4. One of the reasons why new mobile technologies often struggle to fully realise their potential (i.e. that gap between hype and delivery) has been the pursuit of ever higher radio frequencies, such as the mmW bands with 5G (e.g. 24-40GHz) and potentially THz with 6G. This is all very well, but for a mobile network, there’s often been a real-world gap between such capabilities and the economic realities of delivering scale mobile deployments.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In other words, to get the most out of higher mobile frequencies you typically have to build a much more dense and complex network in order to overcome the limitations of signal degradation over distance, which only really makes much sense in very dense \/ busy urban areas. This problem only gets harder as the frequencies get higher, which makes it more difficult for mobile operators to harness them and upgrade.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The result is that major mobile operators often end up, for the most part, sticking to their sweet spots in the sub-6GHz (mid and low) mobile spectrum bands. What can 6G feasibly do to address this, and will it be bringing any changes that might actually help mobile operators to reduce their network deployment costs?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Merz said:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Operators certainly don\u2019t want another wave of costly overbuilds. That\u2019s why 6G is being designed very differently from the start. <\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of relying on one band, 6G is about <\/span>aggregation and sharing across low, mid, and higher frequencies<\/span><\/strong>. This allows operators to extract more value from their existing sub-6 GHz \u201csweet spots\u201d while still introducing upper mid bands in targeted scenarios, such as dense urban zones or specialised industrial use cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

6G<\/span><\/strong> architecture will also evolve from today\u2019s cloud-native 5G core and reuse existing macro infrastructure, to ensure <\/span>operators can introduce new capabilities modularly and protect their past investments<\/span><\/strong>.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

By embedding AI and machine learning into every layer, 6G will <\/span>optimise radio performance in real time<\/span><\/strong>. That means leaner, scalable designs that avoid over-engineering, smarter radios and simpler rollouts.<\/span><\/p>\n

In short, 6G is not about blanketing entire countries with ultra-high frequencies. It\u2019s about <\/span>making the whole spectrum work faster, smarter, and greener<\/span><\/strong> \u2014 reducing total cost of ownership while still enabling headline-grabbing capabilities like ultra-fast short-range links.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5. Since I’ve already mentioned complementary Wi-Fi technology once, then I’d like to do so again by asking whether Nokia shares the view of those who would like to see a grand unification between Mobile and WiFi<\/a> standards into a single combined standard. What are your thoughts on this?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Merz said:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Wi-Fi and mobile have always evolved on parallel tracks because they serve different purposes, and that diversity has been part of their strength. Mobile networks provide <\/span>wide-area coverage, mobility, and guaranteed quality of service<\/span><\/strong>, while Wi-Fi delivers <\/b><\/span>cost-effective local connectivity<\/span><\/strong> <\/b>in homes, enterprises, and hotspots.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, we absolutely see the value in making the two worlds work more seamlessly together. From the customer\u2019s perspective, what matters is that devices connect <\/span>simply and securely<\/span><\/strong>,<\/span><\/strong> whether through Wi-Fi or mobile. With 5G (and even more so with 6G) we\u2019re building <\/span>tight integration and handover between technologies<\/span><\/strong>, so users experience a single, coherent fabric of connectivity. AI-native design will ensure seamless optimization across both mobile and Wi-Fi, choosing the most efficient path automatically.<\/span><\/p>\n

AI-native 6G networks should also be able to <\/span>optimize traffic across both licensed and unlicensed spectrum<\/span><\/strong>, ensuring the most efficient and reliable path for every application.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, w<\/span>e\u2019re engaged in standards bodies that work across both domains, and the trend is towards <\/b><\/span>greater harmonization and interoperability<\/span><\/strong>, not necessarily a single \u201cgrand standard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In short: <\/span>we don\u2019t see a full unification as realistic or even desirable<\/span><\/strong> \u2014 the ecosystems have different innovation cycles and governance. But we do see 6G as the glue that will make Wi-Fi and mobile work together more seamlessly than ever, delivering one reliable connectivity experience for the end user.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

6. Switching to politics and regulation for a moment. Are there any particular changes that you think the UK government or regulator, Ofcom<\/a>, could make in order to better foster and support the wide-scale deployment of 6G mobile technology in the next few years?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Merz said:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Governments and regulators have a vital role to play in ensuring that 6G can be deployed at scale in a way that benefits society and the economy. Europe\u2019s future economic competitiveness, technology leadership and sovereignty depend on fast, reliable and secure digital connectivity. For the UK, a few priorities stand out:<\/p>\n