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Summary: T-Mobile has been granted permission by the FCC to test experimental 6G equipment from Nokia. This may signal a future partnership between the companies in the upcoming 6G era.
5G has been out for several years, but 6G is now being developed. T-Mobile has obtained permission to begin testing Nokia’s 6G equipment in its headquarters in Washington.
To be clear, the company’s filing doesn’t explicitly state that the tests are about 6G. All the request says is that T-Mobile wants to test experimental prototype wireless equipment from Nokia.
It is the frequency band of the equipment that confirms its 6G nature. The 7125-7525 MHz band lies beyond the limits of 5G spectrum, marking it firmly in the territory of 6G.
Wireless standards are evolving quickly
As we reported earlier, T-Mobile is in the process of rolling out 5G across the country. 5G promises big improvements in wireless networks, making it a major leap forward for the industry.
But they are not done yet. 6G is already being developed, both in terms of the standards and the hardware to make it possible. Nokia is one of the few vendors that has already been aggressively researching 6G technology.
T-Mobile’s filing indicates that it is already considering the next move as well. The technical details of the standard will be completely hashed out in the next several years, but T-Mobile is already testing Nokia’s 6G prototype to stay ahead of the curve.
Second wind for Nokia?
Carriers like AT&T and Verizon have been moving away from Nokia in recent years. But T-Mobile testing Nokia’s 6G equipment puts the vendor back on the map.
A tech lead like this is exactly what Nokia needs to bag big contracts again. If its experimental gear ends up working well, Nokia might supply T-Mobile and perhaps even other leading carriers in the coming years.
Nokia definitely needs a win like this, since its smartphone business is dead. T-Mobile has shown a willingness to bet on experimental tech to gain an advantage, giving a unique opportunity to Nokia.
What does the testing entail?
Companies try to protect their trade secrets in the initial stages, so details are scarce for now. All that the filing says is that wireless transmissions will be tested at two fixed base stations at a radius of only 2 kilometers. Only five Nokia devices will be used in the test.
Nokia’s own filing repeats these details, though it clearly specifies that the aim of the test is to advance 6G technology. Interestingly, the filings also mention “massive MIMO radio antennas”, which might hint at the improved capabilities of the next generation wireless communication.