Nokia, Ericsson and Fraunhofer HHI Advance 6G Video Coding

Nokia, Ericsson and Berlin’s Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) are joining forces to drive the next phase of global video coding standardisation for 6G networks. The collaboration brings together decades of research experience to design new compression technologies that will support immersive media and low-latency video services across advanced mobile networks.

The partners have built and tested a proof-of-concept that delivers higher compression efficiency than existing standards such as H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC and H.266/VVC. They achieved the gains without adding significant computational complexity, maintaining energy efficiency and scalability across devices.

They submitted the research results to the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG).

Both organisations evaluated the submission positively, confirming that the technology meets early requirements for next-generation codec development.

The outcome positions the European partners at the centre of the upcoming International Telecommunication Union standardisation process.

The proof-of-concept aligns with the expected 6G deployment timeline between 2029 and 2030, when operators will need new levels of bandwidth efficiency and energy efficiency to manage growing multimedia traffic.

6G codecs address data intensity and latency

The three organisations are developing codec designs that more efficiently manage intensive video traffic across mobile and fixed networks. The codec aims to improve how networks compress, transmit and render large video volumes while maintaining quality, scalability and responsiveness.

As 6G networks evolve, mobile operators will integrate these codecs into systems that distribute media workloads across cloud, edge and radio infrastructure.

The technology will enable real-time streaming, extended reality and machine vision applications that require high bit rates under strict latency constraints.

Current standards such as VVC continue to support 5G-era streaming across devices, but future 6G services will need a new level of network-aware compression. The new codec addresses those emerging requirements by reducing overhead in both data transmission and energy consumption.

The partners expect the standard to support multiple application domains, including interactive mobile video, immersive communication, industrial monitoring, automotive sensing and AI video analytics.

By embedding energy proportionality and spectrum efficiency into the codec architecture, the research supports the broader sustainability goals defined within 6G network design.

Nokia leads codec continuity in 6G

Ville-Veikko Mattila, Head of Multimedia Technologies at Nokia, says the project builds on a long history of codec contributions.

“Nokia’s inventors have been instrumental in the development of all market-adopted video codecs for the last three decades, including fundamental H.26x video compression technologies and we are excited about shaping the next generation of video standards,” Ville-Veikko says.

He adds that early collaboration secures shared values across the industry. “By working together at the very start of the standardisation journey, we will ensure that the values of openness, excellence and sustainability are embedded in the next generation of digital media experiences.”

Nokia continues to align its multimedia research with the evolution of cloud-native telecom infrastructure. Its work integrates multimedia processing, signal algorithms and AI to support adaptive communication experiences across 6G networks.

Ericsson and Fraunhofer HHI reinforce European research

Magnus Frodigh, Head of Research at Ericsson, says the initiative demonstrates how European research collaboration can shape future network standards. “As a global connectivity leader, Ericsson is perfectly positioned to research and drive 6G enablement capabilities,”

Magnus says: “We are proud to partner with Nokia and Fraunhofer HHI in video coding to combine research expertise and shape the next standard.”

He adds that the partnership proves the strength of coordinated research in telecom development. “Our partnership video codec achievement not only shows the ability of European technology leaders to come together and pioneer breakthroughs, but, by being prominent at the very start of the process, also flags our combined determination and commitment to shape the next generation of standards.”

Professor Thomas Wiegand, Executive Director of Fraunhofer HHI, highlights the institute’s role in reinforcing European media technology competence. “Video technologies are central to the digital experiences of tomorrow,” Thomas says.

“Our joint research with Ericsson and Nokia demonstrates Europe’s strong competence in advanced media technologies and its active role in global standardisation efforts,” he adds

He notes that the collaboration builds on prior codec developments within the Joint Video Exploration Team research community. “This collaboration also builds upon the contributions of the broader JVET research community, whose work continues to drive progress in next-generation video coding,” he says.