Verizon Expands 6G Innovation Forum with New Industry Partners
Verizon has expanded its 6G Innovation Forum (6GIF) by adding nine new companies, including AWS, Cisco, Intel, Keysight Technologies, MediaTek, Nvidia, Palo Alto Networks, Rohde & Schwarz, and Viavi Solutions.
The move aims to develop next-generation wireless architectures that drive innovation and monetization. Verizon's Chief Technology Officer Yago Tenorio emphasized the importance of focusing on use cases rather than just increasing speeds and capacity.
Tenorio pointed out that 5G was technology-first, whereas 6G should be built around problems the industry wants to solve. He highlighted several demo projects, including glasses that provide real-time information about sports games, a soccer event where organizers used AI-powered integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) to monitor spectator traffic, and a drone safety tracking demo.
Verizon aims to showcase 6G at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Tenorio stated that it's time for the industry to figure out the use case before developing the technology, as this approach has proven difficult in previous generations of wireless technology.