Nokia kicks off 6G test in 7GHz at Dallas HQNokia kicks off 6G test in 7GHz at Dallas HQ

Nokia filed an application with the FCC to conduct a test of 6G technology at its US headquarters in Dallas. The move likely reflects the vendor's intention to develop interest among US customers in its next generation of wireless networking technologies.

"Nokia is seeking authorization to carry out experimental research and development activities using prototype wireless equipment in the 7125 - 7525MHz frequency band," the company wrote in its FCC application. "This request is specifically for the advancement of 6G technology and aims to facilitate the exploration of innovative wireless communication concepts and solutions. The research aims to contribute to advancements in areas such as band segmentation, innovative frequency sharing mechanisms, and beam forming technologies and more."

Nokia's lengthy application spans four basestation sites and ten "mobile devices." The company said signals from its Massive MIMO radios won't stretch beyond 2 kilometers.

Nokia's 6G test network notably will cover its Dallas Executive Experience Center, described by the company as a way to "give our customers and partners the opportunity to experience Nokia products and solutions through a series of live, immersive demos that bring innovation to life."

Riding the 6G trend

The global wireless industry has officially begun work on 6G technologies through the 3GPP standards body, initially through a study project aimed at setting objectives. The 3GPP's Release 21 batch of specifications is expected to standardize 6G radio access network (RAN) standards by 2029. The group hopes to finish Release 19 next year.

Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and many other vendors have touted their 6G visions during the past few years. Importantly, most vendors and operators are coalescing around the notion that early 6G networks in the US will run in the 6-7GHz range – the same spectrum that Nokia will use for its Dallas test network.

"In the 6G era, the digital, physical and human world will seamlessly fuse to trigger extrasensory experiences. Intelligent knowledge systems will be combined with robust computation capabilities to make humans endlessly more efficient and redefine how we live, work and take care of the planet," Nokia boasts on its website. "Even though there is still a lot of innovation in 5G with the 5G-Advanced release of new standards, Nokia Bell Labs has already begun the research work on 6G to make it commercially available by 2030."

Nokia's US position

But Nokia is unique in the US as the only big vendor to lose two of the market's three big customers. It lost Verizon's business in 2020 to Samsung and AT&T's in 2023 to Ericsson.

And, according to one top analyst, Nokia might even lose T-Mobile's business amid complaints about the performance of its latest radios. Nokia and T-Mobile officials have publicly denied there's a schism between the two companies.

Of course, Nokia isn't the only RAN vendor that's struggling. A global slowdown in operator spending has affected all the market's players.

Indeed, Dell'Oro Group recently reported that the overall global RAN market declined again in the third quarter of 2024. That is the sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year revenue decline in the sector, according to the research firm.