NGMN, Vodafone & Orange Call for 6G Standards Unity

As the telecommunications industry begins shaping the future scope of 6G, the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) has issued a decisive call for harmonised global standards to ensure a seamless, evolutionary transition from 5G.

Representing the collective interests of the world’s foremost Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), the NGMN’s latest publication outlines a unified operator perspective on the direction 6G must take.

NGMN’s latest position, “6G Key Messages – An Operator View”, has been published in anticipation of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) commencing work on Release 20.

The document builds on the Alliance’s extensive prior work and reiterates the principles outlined in its influential 2023 6G Position Statement.

The message remains consistent: 6G must evolve logically from 5G, leverage existing investments and deliver measurable value without prompting unnecessary infrastructure overhauls.

A collective operator vision for 6G

Founded in 2006, the NGMN Alliance is a global operator-led consortium that brings together nearly 70 companies spanning operators, vendors and academic institutions. Its mission is to drive strategic guidance and technological alignment to support next-generation mobile infrastructure.

The Alliance focuses on three core pillars: Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks and Developing 6G.

In “6G Key Messages – An Operator View”, the Alliance advocates that 6G standards must be rooted in the features and innovations of 5G, while enabling new services that address both user demand and broader societal challenges.

The view underlines the need for a pragmatic and sustainable approach to mobile evolution, ensuring a viable pathway for operators and their ecosystems.

Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and CTO and EVP Networks at Orange Group stated:  “6G should be viewed as a seamless evolution, fully compatible with 5G and propelled by continuous software innovation. 

“The industry must move beyond synchronised hardware/software ‘G’ cycles and embrace decoupled roadmaps: one for hardware infrastructure, guided by value-driven and sustainable investments, and another — faster and demand-led — for software-defined business capabilities addressing real needs from society.”

Driving strategic and sustainable development

The publication presents a detailed roadmap for mobile networks’ architectural and functional evolution. It asserts that 6G network design must prioritise modularity, openness, simplicity, trust and interoperability, particularly highlighting software-led advancements rather than wholesale hardware replacements.

While new radio equipment will be necessary for some spectrum bands, upgrades within existing bands should primarily be achieved through software, minimising disruption and capital expense.

Key to the Alliance’s message is the integration of economic and social sustainability into the development of 6G. The need for fast, scalable deployment is matched by the requirement that future networks support environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially beneficial use cases.

Luke Ibbetson, Head of Group R&D at Vodafone and NGMN Board Director, stated: “Network evolution is essential for addressing ever-changing societal needs.

"To achieve this, we need to work collectively as an industry to ensure all future networks are secure, environmentally sound, and economically sustainable.”

Engaging the industry and influencing standards bodies

The NGMN’s latest publication is a call to action and a foundational document for engaging with 3GPP and the broader telecommunications community. It sets clear expectations for how the industry should assess new 6G proposals, particularly within the Radio Performance Assessment Framework (RPAF).

It urges all stakeholders to measure performance gains against realistic and justifiable baselines.

Anita Döhler, CEO of NGMN, stated: “Along with presenting this consolidated view to 3GPP, this publication serves as a foundation for engaging with the broader industry, driving collaboration, innovation, and strategic direction in the evolving 6G landscape. 

“A core tenet of our message is that 6G is not treated as another generational shift for mobile technology – it must be evolutionary.”

Aligning for long-term impact

The Alliance’s message demonstrates the urgency of global coordination, not only to optimise investment cycles and technological continuity but also to foster a shared vision that supports innovation, economic growth, and societal well-being.

Through harmonised standards, software-first strategies, and collaborative frameworks, NGMN seeks to ensure that 6G delivers real value for operators, users, and communities alike.

For telecommunications stakeholders preparing for the next era of mobile connectivity, the NGMN’s position offers a critical benchmark for shaping strategic decisions and industry partnerships.

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