Telstra and Ericsson sign agreement to advance 6G research and innovation

Telstra and Ericsson today announced they have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on the evolution of 6G, reinforcing Telstra’s commitment to keep Australia at the forefront of digital innovation as part of its Connected Future 30 strategy.

The letter of intent sets out Telstra and Ericsson’s commitment to progress joint work on 6G research and trials to drive momentum towards the launch of 6G, including collaboration on 3GPP standards evolution and access to Ericsson’s 6G testbed capabilities.

As part of the agreement, Ericsson has invited Telstra engineering teams to test new concepts and technologies at its 6G testbed in Sweden. Ericsson’s 6G testbed provides a dynamic platform for leading communications services providers (CSPs) to collaboratively develop and test cutting-edge 6G concepts and technologies.

Ericsson engineering teams will also spend time at Telstra’s Innovation Centre on the Gold Coast, Australia, to test how 6G operates in different geographic conditions as part of a reciprocal exchange of ideas and capabilities.

Shailin Sehgal, Telstra Group Executive of Global Networks & Technology, says: “Our letter of intent with Ericsson demonstrates how we’re delivering on our Connected Future 30 strategy by continuing to build the technology momentum that will underpin 6G.

“Mobile connectivity has been one of the most powerful economic engines of modern Australia. As the first G which is AI-native, 6G will be the most intelligent network yet – capable of advanced network connectivity, and new Network as a Product innovations such as the ability to sense the environment around the network. The latter opens the potential for new use cases for public safety, agriculture, weather detection and more.  

“Our focus is making sure Australia remains at the forefront of digital innovation, with connectivity that helps people, businesses and communities thrive.”

Erik Ekudden, Ericsson Chief Technology Officer, says: “We are on a clear and exciting trajectory – from 5G Standalone today, to AI-powered 5G and autonomous networks, towards AI-native 6G that is meeting the evolving and future business needs. 6G will redefine what a network fundamentally is – not just an AI-native technology platform, but a platform that senses, adapts and orchestrates resources to deliver outcomes for enterprises and society at scale; simply an intelligent fabric.

“Realising that potential requires the kind of early, deliberate collaboration we are building together. Australia is a market at the forefront of network innovation where the combination of operator ambition, technical depth and innovation culture makes this genuinely meaningful. Our work with Telstra – spanning research, standards and real-world testing – paves the way for the next era of advanced connectivity.”

Unlocking the benefits of 6G will also depend on sustained investment and certainty around spectrum access – areas where Telstra and Ericsson continue to play an active role.

Building on a strong shared history, Telstra is focused on ensuring the next era of connectivity delivers tangible outcomes for customers – prioritising performance, security and sustainability, and reflecting the evolving needs of Australians.