Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance's 6G Vision

The mobile industry risks repeating the mistakes of the 5G era unless it adopts a more focused and less complex approach to 6G standardisation and deployment, according to new guidance from the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN).

Published ahead of key decisions on future 6G standards, two new NGMN reports argue that operators, vendors and standards bodies must prioritise interoperability and practical migration paths if 6G is to deliver value at scale.

The publications, called "6G Architecture and Migration Options –  An Operator View" and "6G Deployment Timeframe Considerations – An Operator View", arrive as the industry prepares for the next phase of 6G development within 3GPP.

Together, they provide a collective operator perspective on how networks should evolve and when commercial deployment is likely to become viable.

The reports focus on a challenge familiar to operators worldwide: how to introduce a new generation of mobile technology without creating unnecessary complexity across networks and operations.

According to NGMN, lessons from 5G deployments point towards the need for the industry to converge early on a primary migration strategy.

Fragmented approaches can increase costs, slow deployment and create interoperability challenges across the radio access network (RAN), core network and user devices.

Learning from 5G

One of the reports identifies Multi-RAT Spectrum Sharing (MRSS) as the leading candidate for enabling a smoother transition towards 6G.

The approach would allow multiple radio access technologies to share spectrum resources, potentially reducing disruption while helping operators maximise the value of existing network assets.

However, NGMN notes that further work is required before MRSS can serve as the industry's preferred migration path.

The alliance says performance improvements beyond those achieved with 4G-5G Dynamic Spectrum Sharing will be necessary, alongside greater efficiency across both Frequency Division Duplexing and Time Division Duplexing spectrum bands.

Alternative approaches, including Dual Connectivity and Dual Stack architectures, were also evaluated.

While these options may offer benefits in specific scenarios, NGMN argues they should only be pursued where they address deployment requirements that MRSS cannot meet.

Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks, comments: “The transition to 6G will present significant opportunities, but only if the industry prioritises migration paths that build on existing network assets, minimise operational complexity and deliver tangible benefits from the earliest deployment stages.

“Dedicating sufficient time to this process is crucial, otherwise risking unnecessary complexity and long-term challenges, limiting the value to operators and end users.”

Timing the 6G transition

Alongside architectural considerations, NGMN is also urging caution on deployment timelines.

The second report argues that operators should resist pressure to accelerate standardisation at the expense of quality. Drawing on experiences from 5G standalone deployments, the alliance says the industry must allow sufficient time to develop mature standards before introducing commercial 6G capabilities.

Current industry expectations place the first commercial deployments of standardised 6G technologies in the early years of the 2030s.

The report also highlights the importance of maintaining a clear customer value proposition.

Introducing partially developed specifications or overly complicated migration strategies could increase costs for operators while making it harder to demonstrate meaningful benefits to consumers and enterprises.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT and NGMN Board Director, says: “Alongside early evaluation of migration options, it is equally critical that decisions around architecture align cost with a realistic assessment of hardware reuse and enable scalable, multi-vendor ecosystems.

“Migration and architecture solutions should support interoperability, cloud-based deployments and long-term operational efficiency.”

The emphasis on ecosystem readiness extends beyond network infrastructure.

NGMN argues that widespread 6G deployment will depend on the availability of compatible devices and a sufficiently mature supplier ecosystem.

Shaping the next standards phase

The reports arrive ahead of the June-September 2026 3GPP study phase and before decisions surrounding Release 21, expected to become the first announced 6G specification.

Guangyi Liu, Chief Expert of China Mobile and NGMN Board Director, adds: “While flexibility is important, migration options need to be limited if we are to learn the lessons from 5G that hindered time-to-market.

“The current promise of MRSS as a migration path for 6G deployment is clear, but for this to be realised that means ensuring there is not unnecessary complexity on networks or devices.”

For NGMN, the coming months will be critical in shaping how 6G develops.

Anita Döhler, CEO of NGMN, says: “6G is one of NGMN’s core areas of strategic focus and this year and next will be critical to pave the way.

“Decisions of today around standardisation, including migration options, will shape the entire 6G ecosystem and determine its long-term success with regards to ability to deliver value to customers.

“We will continue to provide operator-driven guidance around key requirements for design considerations and network architecture evolution to support the industry in the evolving 6G landscape.”