Verizon officially formed the Verizon 6G Innovation Forum, with a mission to outline the future of wireless technology. The forum combines leaders of the tech ecosystem, such as network operators Ericsson, Samsung Electronics, and Nokia, with device and chipset creators Meta and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The forum’s goal is to identify potential new use cases, devices, and network technologies while creating a 6G ecosystem that is open, resilient, and globally aligned.
“Verizon is consistently at the forefront of network innovation. We were the first in the world to turn up 5G and continue to enhance our best, most reliable and fastest 5G network in ways that open the door to possibilities far beyond what we can imagine today,” said Joe Russo, EVP & President, Global Networks and Technology at Verizon. “5G Advanced lays the foundation for the 6G future – whether that’s new wearables, AI experiences, or entirely new use cases we haven’t even thought of yet, and that’s what excites me the most. With the best team in the industry, we will build the future of these solutions with our partners. We’re already building a network designed for the next era – one that will transform how we live, work and play.”
Verizon has long used AI to optimize its networks, and the company views 6G as the next step in that evolution. Its networks are already a key part of the emerging AI economy, offering the infrastructure and expertise businesses need to run AI workloads at scale. The forum is designed to accelerate Verizon’s AI Connect strategy and intelligent edge capabilities, giving enterprises the tools to deploy AI-driven applications in real time across Verizon’s extensive network.
The 6G Innovation Forum will move quickly from concept to practice. Its priorities include
- Testing new spectrum bands and bandwidths
- Collaborating with global standards bodies like 3GPP to ensure interoperability
- Creating Verizon 6G Labs in Los Angeles. These labs will serve as collaborative hubs for research, prototyping, and early lab and field trials.
Through collaboration with top technology partners and dedicated test labs, Verizon is driving a future where connectivity becomes more seamless, intelligent, and capable of enabling new opportunities users.