6G Developments: Past, Present and Future

The formulation of 6G standards has entered a more concrete phase. At the 3GPP RAN Plenary Meeting held in Singapore in June 2026, the industry made progress in multiple key research areas and finalized the timeline for Release 21, which is regarded as the first standard version expected to formally define 6G.

Based on the existing implemented achievements of 6G as of July 2026 across four major dimensions (3GPP standards, underlying technologies, field trials and spectrum), this paper outlines the evolution roadmap of 6G with greater clarity, identifying which key technical paths have been finalized and which areas remain under continuous refinement.

1. Standardization: Entering the Official Standardization Countdown from Pre-Research, Global Roadmap Fully Confirmed

 ● In March, the 111th Plenary Meeting of 3GPP TSG-RAN held in Fukuoka, Japan, approved Proposal RP-260798, which formally defines the maximum channel bandwidth specification for the ~7 GHz mid-band of 6G: the base station side supports 400 MHz; for user equipment (UE), the baseline downlink bandwidth is 200 MHz (400 MHz optional), while uplink bandwidth is uniformly set to 200 MHz. This consensus resolves core disputes concerning the sub-7 GHz frequency bands for 6G.

● At the 112th Plenary Meeting of 3GPP TSGs held in Singapore in June, the official document RP-260868 laid out the development timeline for Rel-21, the first technical specification suite for 6G (jointly approved document IDs: RP-260868 / SP-260595 / CP-261259). The Rel-21 schedule is as follows:

   March 2027: Approve the 6G Work Item to define the scope of 6G Radio Access (6GR) technologies.

   End of 2028: Physical layer feature freeze (September) and protocol design feature freeze (December).

   March 2029: Final ASN.1 freeze, marking the completion of the first official 6G standard release.

Full meeting document catalog (all RP contributions accessible): https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_ran/TSG_RAN/TSGR_111/Docs/3GPP

2. Consensus on Unified Standards Reached (Implemented in H1 2026)

● Spectrum bandwidth baseline: A maximum downlink bandwidth of 400 MHz and uplink bandwidth of 200 MHz for Sub-7 GHz, unifying global mid-band bandwidth regulations.

● Air interface evolution roadmap: Backward compatible with 5G NR. CP-OFDM and DFT-s-OFDM serve as the baseline waveforms, while channel coding schemes (LDPC / Polar) are retained. Only a two-layer uplink DFT-s-OFDM extension is introduced to accommodate integrated sensing and massive uplink scenarios.

● ITU IMT-2030 (six native capabilities): Immersive holographic communication, ultra-massive massive IoT, ultra-high reliability and ultra-low latency control, integrated communication and sensing (ICAS), universal native intelligent services, and space-air-ground-sea integrated NTN full-domain coverage.

3. Achievements of Global Field Trial Network Deployment (From Single Laboratory Testbeds to Large-Scale Urban Networking in H1 2026)

● At MWC March 2026, the global number of core 6G patents exceeded 200,000, with China accounting for 40.3% to rank first worldwide. Huawei, ZTE, OPPO and vivo jointly contributed 37% of all global 3GPP 6G proposals. Qualcomm, Ericsson and Nokia take the lead in millimeter-wave and NTN sub-solutions, forming a dual-core landscape of China and the US, while Europe, Japan and South Korea occupy segmented niche markets.

● The EU flagship Hexa?X II project completed urban field trials combining millimeter waves and RIS. The RSPG has designated segmented frequency bands for 6G spectrum testing. Sweden, Finland and Germany have built 6G industrial test corridors focusing on industrial automation and telemedicine use cases.

● The FCC opened outdoor GVP test bands within the 6 GHz band, prioritizing research on satellite-direct D2D and millimeter-wave vehicular 6G. In July, the FCC launched the Gold Eagle Initiative, a cybersecurity program (details available at the official link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/07/white-house-launches-gold-eagle-initiative-for-unprecedented-cybersecurity-vulnerability-coordination/). This initiative is coupled with national security screening requirements for 6G radio frequency devices under the Covered List regime.。

4. Rollout of Regional Spectrum Policies and Standards：

● European Union: Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG)

 Document RSPG26-013 FINAL (Released June 16, 2026) puts forward a three-tier spectrum planning framework, covering three frequency layers: upper 6 GHz (6425–7125 MHz), millimeter-wave bands (26 GHz / 42 GHz), and sub-terahertz bands (100–300 GHz).

Source document: https://radio-spectrum-policy-group.ec.europa.eu/document/download/469641a9-dec2-4c74-8415-b1ec44258a82_en?filename=RSPG26-013final-RSPG_Opinion-6G_Spectrum_Roadmap.pdf

● United States

In July 2026, the FCC issued a proposal enabling satellite direct-to-device (D2D) NTN connectivity for unlicensed devices under Part 15. Subject to approval at the August meeting, the FCC plans to release RF limit specifications for unlicensed NTN by the end of 2026.

Source document: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-consider-direct-device-connectivity-unlicensed-devices

● China

In May 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) officially approved the 6425–7125 MHz band for 6G field trials, making China the world’s first country to secure designated test frequencies for 6G中华人民共.... As early as June 2023, MIIT had globally pioneered the allocation of part or all of the 6425–7125 MHz spectrum to IMT systems (5G/6G) via the revised Regulations on the Allocation of Radio Frequencies of the People’s Republic of China.

Source document: https://www.miit.gov.cn/xwdt/gxdt/sjdt/art/2023/art_ba4e3b3d237f459fa501688ee859dfa3.html

● Japan

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan: Strategy for Realizing Next-Generation ICT Infrastructure to Support AI Society – Beyond 5G Promotion Strategy 2.0 .

Source: https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000968710.pdf

Phased Development Outlook for 6G: Second Half of 2026 to Medium & Long Term

● The US FCC will complete feasibility tests for satellite communications on Part 15 unlicensed devices. If the proposal submitted by Brendan Carr in July is approved at the FCC’s August meeting, the RF limit rules for unlicensed NTN devices will be issued by the end of 2026, enabling advance research on hardware architectures of Part 15 unlicensed devices supporting integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity.

● The global spectrum preparation for WRC-27 enters its final stage. The US and EU have jointly proposed designating the full bands of 4.4–4.8 GHz, 14.8–15.35 GHz and 6 GHz as globally unified IMT-2030 6G frequency bands.

● ETSI, FCC and ISED will roll out updated 6G RF test standards in tandem, including specifications for sub-terahertz spurious emissions, integrated communication and sensing coexistence, and NTN satellite interference testing.

● Build up testing capabilities for integrated communication and sensing as well as sub-terahertz anechoic chambers in advance to comply with the EU’s new 6G EMC standards taking effect at the end of 2026.

● Track monthly deliverables from 3GPP Rel-21 meetings to proactively adjust RF parameter designs of 6G modules, preventing extensive board redesign after the feature freeze in 2028.

● Optimize supply chain inventory records to cope with routine national security inquiries on 6G RF devices under the FCC Covered List regime.

● Keep an eye on the 7 GHz band (7.125–8.4 GHz) as a medium- and long-term candidate spectrum. The guiding principle for D2D development is to shield terrestrial IMT networks from harmful interference.

● Japan’s 6G development centers on three core strategic choices: satellite communication technical routes (Starlink, AST/D2C or 3GPP NTN), network architecture models (global networks vs. sovereign national networks), and operator partnership ecosystem deployment.

● AI-RAN (AI-native Radio Access Network): Three major standardization bodies including 3GPP, IEEE and IETF prioritize developing protocol specifications for AI-native network architectures, intelligent resource scheduling and related technologies.

Summary

WRC-27 in 2027 will mark a decisive milestone: it will lay the foundation for globally harmonized 6G spectrum, establish a sustainable regulatory framework for D2D communications, and shape the landscape of mobile and satellite connectivity for the next decade.

BTL Recommended Actions

For 6G products under development, undergoing revision, or planned for global export, it is advised to fully familiarize yourself with relevant standards, spectrum allocations and core technologies in advance. Meanwhile, verify whether future EMC/RF testing and certification strategies need adjustments to align with newly released standards, so as to mitigate product development risks and shorten time-to-market.

BTL will continuously monitor updates on 3GPP international regulations and the latest advancements from test equipment vendors. We support customers in keeping abreast of cutting-edge technical requirements, and deliver comprehensive RF, EMC and SAR testing, certification and technical consulting services to facilitate smooth global market access for products. Please feel free to contact BTL for further inquiries.