As 5G-Advanced evolves and transitions to 6G, standards and pre-standards bodies have begun to align on the new features and enhanced capabilities that will define the next generation of wireless. A new report commissioned by InterDigital, Inc. introduces the enhancements to 5G capabilities and the novel features of integrated sensing and communication, native AI, and ubiquitous connectivity that will shape 6G, as well as the research and standards roadmap to realizing this 6G impact.

The new report, Driving 5G-Advanced to 6G, argues that if 5G-Advanced is to become the foundation for 6G, then the development of 6G technology and standards must align with the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s) IMT-2030 vision framework. The IMT-2030 framework anticipates that 6G will enhance existing 5G and 5G-Advanced mobile network features to support immersive, massive, hyper-reliable, and low latency communication and also introduce novel capabilities that reach beyond faster speeds, lower latencies, and higher mobility to support new industrial and enterprise applications.

Among 6G’s novel capabilities, integrated sensing and communication, native AI, and ubiquitous connectivity represent never before experienced features of our networks that could hold significant potential for consumers and enterprise. Each of these features will be further explored in 3GPP study and working groups.

Integrated Sensing and Communications or ISAC combines current mobile network operations with radar-like sensing capabilities and can be applied for use cases like object detection and tracking, navigation, positioning, and ensuring device trustworthiness.

Native AI, or ubiquitous intelligence, represents a holistic, foundational, and harmonized AI framework that spans all network layers and domains to foster more comprehensive optimizations and new services, like distributed computing and adaptive trust.

Ubiquitous Connectivity reflects seamless, uninterrupted connectivity throughout urban and rural environments, enabled by 6G architecture of combining access technologies like satellite, cellular, and Wi-Fi to create a consistent fabric of connectivity.

Outlining important milestones on the 6G roadmap, the report highlights that 6G concepts like ISAC, native AI, and ubiquitous connectivity will be available to consumers and enterprise by 2030. Until then, preliminary 6G studies have begun with 3GPP Release 19 and will continue in 3GPP Rel 20 between 2025-2027. Release 21, between 2027 – 2029, will likely represent the first phase of 6G standardization, to be followed by early deployment of 6G capabilities as early as 2029.