Viavi Solutions was awarded with $1.1 million in funding from Europe's frontline 6G security endeavor.
Via funding from the European Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) and Horizon Europe, Viavi will bring its network security specialism to Shield-6G. Launched last month with backing from the European Commission (EC), the $9 million project aims to create an AI-driven cybersecurity threat intelligence platform to fortify 6G networks.
Specifically, the Arizona-headquartered firm will spearhead an AI radio access network (RAN) effort involving digital twins, as using its TeraVM AI RAN Scenario Generator (RSG). Ian Langley, SVP for Viavi's wireless unit, explained the technology would analyze 6G propagation and reduce signal interference in spectrum ranging from 7.125 GHz to 24.25 GHz. These efforts would underpin the development, testing, and validation of AI-driven security models prior to a commercial launch of 6G.
"Security for 6G networks has to be built in from day one, and that requires the ability to simulate, test, and detect threats before a single commercial 6G signal goes live," Langley explained. "[With] our AI RSG technology ... Shield-6G takes that capability directly into the security domain, where the stakes are even higher."
With its Shield-6G membership, Viavi joins a 20-strong European consortium coordinated by University College Dublin that includes the likes of Ericsson, Nokia, and Thales.
Viavi has some pedigree already in Europe's 6G efforts, having worked on EC funded projects covering AI and 6G for Germany and Greece, plus an ongoing digital twin project for Luxembourg that began in 2024.
While the firm is U.S. headquartered, it holds an office in Germany, with almost 20 European bases including the U.K., Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands. According to Dell'Oro Group research, projected 6G global wireless capital expenditure will reach $500 billion by 2034, with cumulative 6G RAN revenue expected to top $100 billion.
Dell'Oro’s analysts suggested that while 6G wouldn’t expand the overall RAN market, cumulative 6G RAN investments will account for almost half of total RAN capex over the next several years.
While the role of digital twin technology in 6G development is negligible, the likes of Microsoft and Nvidia have talked up twins this year with regards to safeguarding agentic activity in advanced 5G networks, eventually leading onto 6G frameworks.