The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has called on governments of the world to join its efforts on 6G standards, but only those deemed “trusted.”
A ‘call to action’ was published this week, in which the Commerce Department body sought partner nations to align on standards for open, interoperable, and, most notably, “AI-supported” next-generation networks.
Some 20 nations have already pledged their support, including the U.K., South Korea, and Germany, for an effort set to replace legacy hardware-driven approaches with a software-defined model that will examine everything from technical cybersecurity risks to shared defense applications.
NTIA and co. plan to establish 6G “points of contact” among “like-minded” governments within the next month, before expanding outreach to industry and academia. Efforts will culminate in an in-person meeting in 2027 to assess actionable priorities alongside industry stakeholders.
Arielle Roth, the NTIA Administrator and Assistant Secretary of Commerce, said the project will be “dramatically different” from 5G efforts that saw buildout languish.
“Allied leadership requires a dramatically different playbook,” Roth said in a statement. “By working now with trusted partners, we will ensure that next-generation networks reflect our shared security interests, strengthen our competitiveness, and drive innovation.”
NTIA’s framing acts as a direct counter to China’s growing influence in the emerging 6G space.
China has raced ahead, already approving the 6 GHz band for large-scale 6G field trials amid ambitious plans to commercialize the next-gen standard by 2030. So-called ‘second phase’ 6G tests are already underway, which sees China validating technical solutions and final system-level networking tests using pre-commercial 6G equipment. Phase two is expected to run through the end of next year.
Alongside domestic semiconductor buildout, 6G is one of the key strategic priorities in China’s “15th Five-Year Plan,” covering 2026 to 2030. State media previously touted the nation’s leadership in global 6G patent filings, accounting for some 40% – though ownership of patents does not necessarily equate to tech supremacy.