New Report Outlines the Standards Blueprint Shaping 6G Networks
3GPP Release 20 is a pivotal milestone, consolidating 5G-Advanced while seeding 6G studies that will define the next decade of connectivity
WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The next era of connectivity is taking shape. A new report from InterDigital, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDCC), a leader in mobile, video, and AI technology research and development, and ABI Research reveals how key players in the global wireless ecosystem are shaping the standards and technologies that will link 5G-Advanced and enable future 6G intelligent networks.
The report, titled “The Bridge to 6G: Spotlight on 3GPP Release 20”, explores how this pivotal standards milestone cements 5G’s commercial maturity while launching coordinated studies that will define the next generation of global connectivity. From simplified, AI-native architectures to Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) and non-terrestrial networks (NTN), Release 20 marks an important turning point in network capabilities and the services and experiences they will enable.
“Release 20 is the industry’s bridge between generations, leveraging a decade of 5G innovation and maturity into a launchpad for a smarter, more sustainable, and commercially viable 6G,” said Rajesh Pankaj, Chief Technology Officer at InterDigital. “Our teams contribute extensive expertise and leadership in areas like ISAC and AI-native radio access networks to help shape more intelligent, efficient, and capable networks and new services under 6G.”
A Defining Transition: From 5G-Advanced to 6G
3GPP Release 20 stands as an inflection point enabling 5G-Advanced to achieve maturation while laying the foundation for 6G’s design, deployment, and commercialization. Key design principles and study items include:
- AI-Native Networks, where intelligence is embedded across every layer, from the RAN to the core network, enabling predictive, streamlined systems that optimize performance and operations in real time. Release 20 introduces AI-enabled air interfaces and two-sided model training for tasks like CSI compression and predictive mobility management.
- Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), which will allow networks to perceive motion, range, and environmental context, opening new frontiers for automation, mobility, and immersive XR. Release 20 explores system-level architectures for Sensing-as-a-Service, enabling applications like drone detection, industrial automation, and smart IoT ecosystems.
- Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), which seamlessly integrate cellular and satellite networks for ubiquitous global coverage. A significant portion of Release 20’s workload is dedicated to solving deployment challenges and delivering system-level enhancements like GNSS-independent NTN positioning.
- Sustainability by Design, where Release 20 studies target up to 100x greater energy efficiency per bit while reducing total cost of ownership and advancing carbon-aware, AI-driven network management.
“6G is being shaped by a more diverse set of stakeholders,” said Dimitris Mavrakis, Senior Research Director at ABI Research. “From legacy innovators to hyper-scalers to AI pioneers, the consensus-driven approach behind Release 20 ensures that 6G will be more inclusive, resilient, and responsive to global market demands.”
The report envisions a decade ahead where networks evolve from infrastructure into intelligent ecosystems that power the global digital economy and redefine human experiences. According to the report, 6G will enable a variety of new services and device capabilities, including holographic and volumetric communication enabled by enhancements in latency reduction and real-time analytics for XR, ambient IoT and smart environments underpinned by billions of self-powered devices interacting seamlessly through sensing-driven connectivity, and safer autonomous industrial systems made possible by ultra-reliable, low-latency networks.
The full report, “The Bridge to 6G: Spotlight on 3GPP Release 20” is available .
About InterDigital®
InterDigital is a global research and development company focused primarily on wireless, video, artificial intelligence (“AI”), and related technologies. We design and develop foundational technologies that enable connected, immersive experiences in a broad range of communications and entertainment products and services. We license our innovations worldwide to companies providing such products and services, including makers of wireless communications devices, consumer electronics, IoT devices, cars and other motor vehicles, and providers of cloud-based services such as video streaming. As a leader in wireless technology, our engineers have designed and developed a wide range of innovations that are used in wireless products and networks, from the earliest digital cellular systems to 5G and today’s most advanced Wi-Fi technologies. We are also a leader in video processing and video encoding/decoding technology, with a significant AI research effort that intersects with both wireless and video technologies. Founded in 1972, InterDigital is listed on Nasdaq.
InterDigital is a registered trademark of InterDigital, Inc.
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