The 6G NeXt initiative, led by Deutsche Telekom, was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space
In sum – what to know:
Three-year 6G project concludes – The 6G NeXt initiative demonstrated future network concepts, including drone safety and volumetric video, supported by public funding and broad institutional collaboration.
New tools and patents – Research outputs included 23 academic papers, a European patent filing, and contributions to the European 6G Platform white paper on strategic direction.
Modular and scalable infrastructure – Findings highlight the need for flexible architectures to meet high-performance demands expected from 6G in the 2030s.
The 6G NeXt research project has concluded after three years of work exploring next-generation network concepts and demonstrating applications in a live test environment, German carrier Deutsche Telekom said in a release.
The initiative was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space.
Led by Deutsche Telekom, the consortium included academic, industrial, and public sector partners such as DFKI, Fraunhofer FOKUS, Logic Way, TU Berlin, TU Ilmenau, TH Wildau, Volucap, and Flugplatzgesellschaft Schönhagen. Associate partners Nvidia, RWTH Aachen, and the Interest Group of Regional Airports also contributed expertise. The aim was to design a modular, scalable, and flexible infrastructure to meet the performance demands of future 6G networks.
Among the demonstrations was an intelligent anti-collision system for drones operating in mixed airspace. Other feasibility studies showcased during the project included:
-High-performance broker: A modular orchestrator for cloud and network resources across multiple providers, integrated with AI decision-making to automate provisioning in dynamic 5G and 6G environments.
-Volumetric video conferencing: Real-time 3D video with realistic depth, requiring high bandwidth and distributed processing, pointing to immersive media use cases in future networks.
-Anti-collision system for aviation: Safety mechanisms for drone operations near airports, relying on ultra-low latency and synchronized distributed computing.
Beyond the demonstrations, the German telco noted that the project generated 23 research papers and filed a European patent application for new technologies. Its findings contributed to the European “6G Platform” white paper, which informs strategic planning for 6G development.
Peter Ledl, head of T-Labs at Deutsche Telekom, said cross-sector collaboration was essential for advancing 6G during the research phase. “During the 6G research phase, it is crucial to drive cross-sector collaboration among multiple stakeholders. This ensures the broadest possible participation in the innovation potential of 6G. The architecture concepts, demonstrators, and scientific results of the 6G NeXt project will help inform future initiatives in Germany and contribute to the development of a 6G ecosystem,” he said.
Deutsche Telekom also noted that the project highlights the growing importance of early-stage 6G research. While commercial rollout of 6G is not expected until the early 2030s, global work is underway to establish the specifications, with the 3GPP body leading standardization.
