Link to the White paper here.

RAN Scenario Generators and Their Critical Role for Future-Proofing AI-Native RAN in Advanced 5G and 6G Networks

The role of artificial intelligence within telecommunications is evolving quickly, shifting from speeding discrete automation tasks to intelligent, context-aware decision making in which it becomes a critical element of network operations. This change is particularly visible in the way that AI is being used in new and emerging 5G and 6G deployments, not least when it comes to MU-MIMO. To date networks have deployed AI as an add-on. It is being used to optimize and enhance existing systems and has enabled the dynamic allocation of network slices, the better management of resources, and the improved detection of both potential issues and security threats. However, new 5G and 6G implementations built around “AI-native” architectures and MU-MIMO will shift AI from the periphery to the very heart of the network. This will enable autonomous operation across immensely complex, heterogeneous Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) Networks built on principles such as Open RAN and managed by programmable platforms such as the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). This shift, however, presents a fundamental challenge: How do you ensure that AI is making the correct decisions for the network, especially when it needs to scale rapidly across heterogeneous, dynamic environments?

Training an AI (and ensuring its long-term viability) requires data. As well as being accurate and reliable, this data must be representative of a real-world, dynamic network rather than an ideal or a snapshot at a particular time. Using this data, the AI applications used to run and maintain the network should then be continuously tested and challenged to prevent drift and to ensure readiness for change and unforeseen scenarios.

In this paper we examine the challenges and trade-offs of real-world data and synthetic data to demonstrate why a hybrid data layer with RAN scenario generator (RSG) testing is the optimal approach for training AI applications for the specific network. We will also identify how this approach can be used to prevent AI drift and how it can prepare for change (including upgrades and attacks). Finally, we will break down how these techniques can be used to improve the network’s energy efficiency, plan for 6G deployment, enhance QoS, and optimize for massive MIMO.

© VIAVI 2025

Viavi is a GSA Member Company.

AI RAN – 5G – 6G

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Intelligent Twin Technology for efficient, reliable, secure 5G and 6G networks

Download the Viavi Network Digital Twin brochure here.

I N T R O D UCT I O N 

In recent years, I’ve been fascinated by the concept of digital twins and how they’re transforming various industries. Digital twins are essentially virtual replicas of physical systems, allowing us to simulate, analyze, and optimize in a virtual environment. This technology is incredibly powerful for iterating in a virtual world and accelerating business outcomes and value in the real world.

At VIAVI, we’ve been pioneering this innovation for use in telecoms networks. Traditionally, we’ve focused on testing and emulation in lab environments using synthetic data and bringing our knowledge of the field into the lab. However, we’re now taking it a step further by taking that knowledge and expertise to incorporate the real data from networks into our digital twin engines.

This real data is essential for building applications and leveraging AI to fill data gaps and drive automation. Our goal is to create realistic scenarios that can be tested and scaled, ensuring the data we use is as accurate as possible.

We’re also working on generating realistic scenarios for various applications, such as energy saving, x/r App validation, risk prediction and Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC). By integrating real data into these simulations, we can test and evaluate factors like scalability and latency. This approach not only enhances the testing process but also provides a framework for validating applications in a community-driven environment.

Moreover, the integration of AI into our digital twin systems allows us to create new, previously unseen scenarios, enhancing the completeness and confidence in deployment. This collaboration between digital twin operators, data providers, and AI technologies is paving the way for innovative solutions and advancements in network testing and application development. The use of digital twins, real data, and AI is revolutionizing how we test and optimize networks, leading to more efficient and reliable and secure business outcomes.

– VIAVI CTO Office

© VIAVI 2025

Viavi is a GSA Member Company.

VIAVI Network Digital Twin

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The proportion of mobile subscriptions that are 5G increased from one-quarter at the end of 2024 to one-third in 2025. 5G mid-band is ideal for providing both capacity and coverage, and therefore enhancing user experience, with population coverage expected to reach 45 percent globally outside mainland China during 2025.Mobile network data traffic grew 20 percent between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, slightly more than expected. Looking to the next generation, the 6G standardisation process has already begun. We expect the first commercial launches to be driven by leading service providers in front-runner markets. AI-native 6G networks, together with new capabilities such as integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), will enable entirely new use cases and classes of devices. These advances will unlock new business opportunities for service providers.

5G to account for one-third of mobile subscriptions in 2025.

During the third quarter of 2025, 162 million 5G subscriptions were added, bringing the total to almost 2.8 billion.

5G subscription uptake continues apace and the total is expected to reach 2.9 billion at the end of 2025, accounting for one-third of all mobile subscriptions. The highest 5G subscription penetration is expected to be in North America with 79 percent, followed by North East Asia at 61 percent and Western Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, both at 55 percent. Globally, 5G is anticipated to overtake 4G as the dominant mobile access technology by subscription by the end of 2027, nine years after launch.

Around 360 service providers have now launched commercial 5G services, and more than 90 of those have launched or soft-launched 5G standalone (SA).

As subscribers migrate to 5G, the number of 4G subscriptions continues to decline. During the third quarter, 4G subscriptions declined by 65 million, bringing the total below 4.8 billion. 3G subscriptions declined by 22 million during the same period, while 2G subscriptions dropped by 29 million.

2G and 3G network sunsetting continues around the world. The phasing out of 3G networks is anticipated to happen more quickly than that of 2G in the coming years, but the timeline for this transition varies based on country and service provider.

© Ericsson 2025

Ericsson Mobility Report November 2025

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The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has today released an updated snapshot of the global 5G spectrum landscape, offering a detailed view of operator investments and regulatory activity across low-band, mid-band and high-band (millimetre wave) frequencies. Drawing on insights from GSA’s extensive GAMBoD databases and the latest July 2025 spectrum reports, the new data confirms that while mid-band remains the backbone of 5G deployments, interest in both low-band and mmWave continues to evolve in line with network strategies and future 6G planning.

Tracking both spectrum auctions and pricing, the latest GSA data reveals how spectrum characteristics, market maturity and use cases are shaping regulatory and operator strategies. For example, low-band spectrum prices, which historically have been among the highest, have seen a notable downward trend as regulatory efforts are increasingly focused on rural rollout and affordability to support wider digital inclusion objectives. Meanwhile prices for mid-band spectrum – and in particular C-band – have declined sharply post-2023, reflecting widespread spectrum availability, maturing markets and reduced urgency among operators who already hold substantial allocations.

Although average global pricing for millimetre wave remains significantly lower than mid-band, this high-band spectrum is increasingly valued for use cases demanding ultra-high capacity and low latency, such as fixed wireless access (FWA), private industrial networks and high-density venues. Recent deployments in Brazil and planned auctions in the UK, India and Japan signal a second wave of adoption, backed by a maturing device ecosystem—now exceeding 150 commercially available mmWave-capable devices globally.

“While there is naturally a focus on new spectrum auctions and the journey to 6G, it is important to also to remember the significance of shutting down older 2G and 3G networks in allowing operators to unlock low-band and mid-band spectrum — both of which are vital for expanding 4G and 5G services,” explained Joe Barrett, President, GSA. “As we move toward universal access and 6G, low-band remains strategically indispensable in supporting IoT, emergency services and inclusive digital infrastructure; and midband spectrum, where the bulk of 5G traffic is carried, will remain critical well into the 6G era. Overall, while mmWave adoption is still in the early stages globally, the GSA Research Team is tracking a steady increase in investment, especially in regions where spectrum policy, infrastructure readiness, and urban density align.

“As discussions ramp up toward WRC-27 and WRC-31, global harmonisation and smart spectrum sharing — including AI-driven allocation — will be central to shaping a flexible, high-performance wireless future. GSA’s Spectrum Group will continue to contribute studies and technical analysis to international, regional and individual country policymakers and regulators to facilitate the timely availability of spectrum for use by mobile network operators. As an industry, we now look forward to continued 5G growth, 6G innovation and the socio-economic benefits mobile connectivity brings globally,” Barrett concluded.

Key GSA spectrum reports:

• GSA Hot Topic Report: Millimetre-Wave Spectrum (July 2025)
• GSA: Midband Spectrum (July 2025)
• GSA: 2G-3G Switch-Off (July 2025)
• GSA: 6G Status Update (June 2025)

All the data in the above reports is available to GSA Members and Associates through subscription to the GSA’s GAMBoD databases. As a GSA Member or GSA Associate organisation, every employee can enjoy unlimited access to the full suite of seven databases, including data on over 9,147 Spectrum Assignments globally. The new GSA Spectrum Pricing database, which was launched to GAMBoD subscribers earlier this year, includes detail on auction prices, frequency bands and price per population. For more information on the seven GAMBoD databases, please go to: https://members.gsacom.com/GAMBoD-quick-start-guide#

The GSA Research Team presented the highlights of all these global spectrum update reports in a Snapshot Webinar. To watch the webinar on-demand, please go to: https://gsacom.com/webinar/gsa-snapshot-global-spectrum-update/.  The presentation, including key spectrum maps and charts, can be downloaded here: https://gsacom.com/paper/webinar-global-spectrum-update/

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While 5G and 5G-Advanced networks are being commercially deployed, work has already started to define 6G networks. The move from one generation to the next follows a systematic process that involves many actors across the industry and takes considerable time. Notably, the target date to commercialise 6G networks is 2030, and work has already begun to pave the way for this transition.

The first step in defining a new generation is to ensure that the most-advanced research results are considered. Research is an ongoing process that typically takes place at institutional, national and regional levels, but each new generation presents an opportunity to capture those results and use them as a basis for standardisation. For 6G, these research activities have been underway for some time and early results give an indication of the capabilities that 6G may offer.

ITU Framework

One of the fundamental characteristics of mobile systems is that they need to be interoperable globally. Users expect their devices to work wherever they are, and this requires cooperation at the international level. This cooperation has proven to be successful for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G and therefore provides a good basis for the development of 6G.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has already published its IMT-2030 framework, also known as ITU-2023, which lays out a set of objectives for 6G. This framework will form the basis of detailed work on specifications that will be undertaken by organisations such as 3GPP.

The framework captures the breadth and depth of usage scenarios for 6G. The report graphic confirms that 6G, the hexagon, will be an evolution of 5G and IMT-2020, the inner circle. This is crucial for safeguarding existing investments.

The illustration also indicates that 6G will be the first generation to go beyond pure communication to include an integrated “sensing” capability. The inclusion of sensing capabilities in mobile networks will open many opportunities for innovative service offerings.

6G-Status Update June 2025

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GSA Research

Mobile industry research is the backbone of GSA activity and covers topics from devices, chipsets and technology, to networks, features and spectrum.

The GSA research team is constantly following market dynamics and activity to ensure the latest data is available to GSA users via the GSA website.

Data is updated monthly and quarterly and can be referenced by users who register for free on the GSA website and download multiple reports, charts and videos of webinars. GSA welcomes any contributions on industry data from mobile operators, vendors and suppliers what want to ensure accurate industry data is shared globally.

GSA GAMBoD Database

GSA reports are based on extensive data contained in the GSA GAMBoD databases, which is a resource available to GSA members and associates. Companies and policy makers can subscribe, as a GSA associate, to gain access to GSA databases and member reports for additional insights into the source data behind reports, which can be used for their own research purposes.

Discounted annual subscription are available to regulators, government agencies and licensed mobile operators.

Please email info@gsacom.com for more information.

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Abstract: As the wireless communications industry prepares for the next generation in mobile connectivity with the expected introduction of 6G by the end of this decade, it is important to leverage experiences with 4G and 5G. Moving to 6G gives us a key opportunity to redesign network architecture for improved efficiency, scalability and agility in delivering network services. This change aims to build a strong foundation for a thriving mobile connectivity ecosystem.

The transition from 5G to 6G will not just be a technological evolution but a strategic shift that will likely affect how future 6G features are adopted and the financial returns on current 5G networks. The choices made early in this transition are crucial. Choosing the quickest path might not be the best in the long term. A strategy that focuses on improving user experiences and ensuring widespread access from the beginning will likely help operators meet customer expectations more effectively, while also cutting costs and reducing disruptions to existing systems.

With 6G, operators could not only market the latest technology standard but also capitalize on the many technological innovations that the 3GPP has standardized for 5G Advanced. Concentrating on areas like energy efficiency, automation, infrastructure-sharing and efficient spectrum sharing will not only enhance the capabilities of 6G networks but also make them more cost-efficient to operate. Additionally, the adoption of AI-native systems across the 6G technology stack could improve how networks scale, improve their performance with cell site-specific and user-specific adjustments and improve their responsiveness to disruptions.

Download this deck to learn more about the why and how of 6G at this important juncture in the evolution of the mobile connectivity industry.

How can we shape the future of mobile connectivity with 6G?

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An analysis of the spectrum potential for next-generation wireless systems.

Link to the GSA Member white paper: KeySight – Exploring the 6G Spectrum Landscape

In each generation of cellular communications, new spectrum has been key to delivering more services, more capacity, and higher data throughput to end users. 5G benefited from large contiguous bandwidths of millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum, known as frequency range 2 (FR2). And 5G benefited from the reallocation and unlocking of midband spectrum (3.4 to 4.9 GHz) with its more favorable propagation characteristics. The spectrum that will be available for 6G is unclear, but three frequency ranges are under discussion, including the upper midband (sometimes called midband or, unofficially, FR3) from 7 to 24 GHz and sub-terahertz bands from roughly 90 to 300 GHz. The third range involves maximizing spectrum below 7 GHz through refarming, new band allocation, and increased spectral efficiency.

Each of the proposed bands has benefits and drawbacks. The bands below 7 GHz provide the best coverage. But the spectrum in this range is already allocated, and getting access to additional spectrum requires moving incumbents somewhere else or refarming. Research into ways to increase spectral efficiency and make the most of what is available must continue. The bands between 7 and 24 GHz cannot provide the same coverage as those below 7 GHz. Still, this range is under significant research and is a useful and necessary candidate to expand capacity. The millimeter bands between 24 and 90 GHz provide high capacity and low latency for local deployments. 5G introduced these bands, but they remain underused. These bands may not make headlines related to 6G, but they will likely be a part of the final makeup and will help deliver services when very high capacity is necessary in dense urban areas. The sub-terahertz bands could meet extreme capacity needs in hyperlocal deployments. Figure 1 shows the relative bandwidth available in each of these areas. It is becoming clear that 7 to 24 GHz is the most popular target for new spectrum 6G deployments. While still of interest, the sub-terahertz bands are under scrutiny because of the challenges the industry faces with FR2. But they remain an option for the second phase or later rollouts.

GSA.com

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While 5G and 5G-Advanced networks are being commercially deployed, work has already started to define how 6G networks will be characterized. The move from one generation to the next follows a systematic process that involves many actors and takes considerable time. Notably, 6G networks are not expected to be commercialized before 2030, but work has already begun to pave the way for this transition.

The first step in defining a new generation is to ensure that the most-advanced research results are considered. Research is an ongoing process that typically takes place at institutional, national and regional levels, but each new generation presents an opportunity to capture those results and use them as a basis for standardization. For 6G, these research activities have been underway for some time and early results give an indication of the capabilities that 6G may offer.

ITU Framework

One of the fundamental characteristics of mobile systems is that they need to be interoperable globally. Users expect their devices to work wherever they are, and this requires cooperation at the international level. This cooperation has proven to be successful for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G and therefore provides a good basis for the development of 6G. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has already published its IMT 2030 Framework, also known as ITU-2023, which lays out a set of objectives for 6G. This framework will form the basis of detailed work on specifications that will be undertaken by organizations such as 3GPP.

6G Networks Status Update

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GSA Research

Mobile industry research is the backbone of GSA activity and covers topics from devices, chipsets and technology, to networks, features and spectrum.

The GSA research team is constantly following market dynamics and activity to ensure the latest data is available to GSA users via the GSA website.

Data is updated monthly and quarterly and can be referenced by users who register for free on the GSA website and download multiple reports, charts and videos of webinars. GSA welcomes any contributions on industry data from mobile operators, vendors and suppliers what want to ensure accurate industry data is shared globally.

GSA GAMBoD Database

GSA reports are based on extensive data contained in the GSA GAMBoD databases, which is a resource available to GSA members and associates. Companies and policy makers can subscribe, as a GSA associate, to gain access to GSA databases and member reports for additional insights into the source data behind reports, which can be used for their own research purposes.

Discounted annual subscription are available to regulators, government agencies and licensed mobile operators.

Please email info@gsacom.com for more information.

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Coming Soon

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Title                      Due

Auction Calendar January

5G Device Ecosystem January

5G Standalone January

Public Networks and Operators January

Infographics February

5G Market Snapshot February

Private Mobile Networks February

NB-IoT and LTE-M Global Ecosystem March

Public Networks and Operators March

Region Spotlight: Latin America March

Spectrum Pricing March

Infographics March

LTE and 5G Subscribers March

Spectrum Positions March

5G Device Ecosystem April

5G Market Snapshot April

5G Standalone April

Industry Report Calendar 2024

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