Ericsson and Softbank have partnered up to develop 6G and other ‘NextWave’ tech

Ericsson and Softbank want to leave their mark on the mobile networks of the future, and to that end they’ve entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), focused on co-creating various ‘NextWave’ tech.

By ‘NextWave’, they mean advancing technologies on to the next phase, particularly when it comes to cellular networks. The obvious example of that then being moving beyond 5G to 6G, but Ericsson and Softbank also plan to advance related technologies, such as AI, Cloud RAN (Radio Access Network), and XR (Extended Reality – an umbrella term that encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality).

AI could be a major feature of 6G networks, and XR applications could become a lot more popular in the coming years – especially once they can be powered by 6G, so this MoU will allow the two firms to explore new use cases and drive technological advancements in these areas.

Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President and CTO at SoftBank Corp., said:  "Our new partnership with Ericsson allows us to explore cutting-edge solutions that will redefine network capabilities and customer experience. Our joint efforts in areas such as 6G and AI will not only enhance the performance of our network, but also pave the way for new business opportunities and technological breakthroughs."

Getting more specific, Ericsson has said this collaboration will focus on exploring new ways of using radio waves by integrating sensing and communication, establishing efficient and effective network design strategies for XR and other emerging use cases, and evaluating the commercial readiness for Cloud RAN deployment with integrated AI technologies, among other things.

This MoU will see Ericsson and Softbank work together at least through 2030, by which point hopefully much of this ‘NextWave’ tech will be more fully formed, and we’ll have a clearer idea of what form 6G and other future mobile network technologies will take.