01Frontier
The technologies moving now.
Ranked by how closely each serves what this industry needs to observe. Each item names the specification or standard it is drawn against.
Frontier · AI-RAN and Open RAN · AI-RAN: shared accelerated infrastructure
AI-and-RAN (shared GPU for RAN and AI)
Running the RAN and AI inference on the same accelerated servers, with RAN given priority when traffic needs it.
AI-RAN Alliance AI-and-RAN working group · O-RAN WG6 AAL
Frontier · AI-RAN and Open RAN · AI-RAN: shared accelerated infrastructure
AI-on-RAN (edge AI services on RAN sites)
Hosting third-party and site AI applications on RAN compute close to users and sensors.
AI-RAN Alliance AI-on-RAN working group · ETSI GS MEC 003
Frontier · AI-RAN and Open RAN · AI-RAN: shared accelerated infrastructure
Software-defined L1 on GPUs
Running the full physical layer in software on GPUs instead of fixed-function hardware.
O-RAN WG6 AAL General Aspects and Principles
Frontier · AI-RAN and Open RAN · AI-RAN: shared accelerated infrastructure
RAN-first workload scheduling
Schedulers that protect RAN deadlines and lend idle accelerator time to AI jobs.
O-RAN WG6 O2dms Interface Specification
Frontier · AI-RAN and Open RAN · AI-RAN: shared accelerated infrastructure
Isolation between RAN and AI tenants
Hardware and software isolation so AI tenants cannot affect RAN timing or reach RAN data.
O-RAN WG11 security specifications · IETF RFC 9334 (remote attestation architecture)
Frontier · Remote sensing and Earth observation · Tasking, ground segment and access
Optical ground stations
Laser downlink terminals that relieve radio spectrum limits, with weather-diverse site networks.
CCSDS 141.0-B (optical communications physical layer)
Frontier · Spectrum, timing and PNT · Spectrum monitoring and interference management
Distributed low-cost SDR sensor networks
Many inexpensive receivers at sites forming a continuous spectrum picture.
Rec. ITU-R SM.1880 · ITU Handbook on Spectrum Monitoring
Frontier · Spectrum, timing and PNT · Spectrum monitoring and interference management
Machine-learning signal classification
Models that recognise signal types and anomalies in monitoring data.
ITU Handbook on Spectrum Monitoring
Frontier · Compute and edge · Edge tiers and multi-access edge computing
Edge-cloud continuum
Placing each workload at the device, edge or cloud tier by latency, cost, energy and data rules, and moving it when conditions change.
3GPP TS 23.548 (5GC enhancements for edge computing) · ETSI GS MEC 003
Frontier · Ground segment · Earth station spectrum coordination and interference
Satellite and terrestrial spectrum sharing
Studies and tools for satellite services sharing mobile bands, including direct-to-device.
ITU WRC-27 agenda item 1.13 (Resolution 253 (WRC-23))
Frontier · IoT, LPWAN and mesh · Satellite IoT and non-terrestrial networks
Store-and-forward satellite IoT
Regenerative satellites that hold uplinked data until a ground station is in view.
3GPP Rel-19 IoT-NTN store-and-forward work item
Frontier · IoT, LPWAN and mesh · Satellite IoT and non-terrestrial networks
NR NTN and direct-to-device
5G NR links from satellites to standard devices, including RedCap over NTN in Rel-19.
3GPP TS 38.300 (Rel-17 NR NTN) · 3GPP TR 38.821 (NR NTN solutions)
Frontier · IoT, LPWAN and mesh · Satellite IoT and non-terrestrial networks
LoRa-class links to satellites
LPWAN modulations received by satellites for remote sensors with very small payloads.
LoRaWAN Regional Parameters RP002 (LR-FHSS)
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
IMT-2030 framework
The ITU vision for 6G: usage scenarios, capabilities and timelines that shape the next decade of networks.
Rec. ITU-R M.2160
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
3GPP 6G studies
Release 20 studies defining 6G use cases, requirements and radio and system design.
3GPP TR 22.870 (6G use cases and service requirements)
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)
Using the radio network itself to detect and measure objects and environment alongside data service, under privacy rules.
3GPP TR 22.837 (ISAC feasibility study) · 3GPP TS 22.137 (ISAC service requirements) · 3GPP TR 23.700-14 (sensing architecture study)
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
AI-native air interface
Air interface components designed around learned models rather than fixed algorithms.
Rec. ITU-R M.2160 · 3GPP TR 38.843 (AI/ML for the NR air interface)
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
Sub-terahertz links
Links above 100 GHz for very high capacity over short distances and fixed backhaul.
IEEE 802.15.3d (252–325 GHz)
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
Ubiquitous terrestrial and non-terrestrial coverage
6G designed from the start to include satellites and HAPS as part of the radio access.
Rec. ITU-R M.2160 · 3GPP TR 22.870
Frontier · 5G and 6G radio access networks · 6G and integrated sensing and communication
Energy-efficient and sustainable 6G
Network designs that scale energy with load and report energy per bit as a first-class metric.
Rec. ITU-R M.2160 · 3GPP TR 22.870
Frontier · Core and transport networks · Fibre and optical transport
Distributed fibre sensing
Using telecom fibre as a sensor for vibration, temperature and strain along its route.
IEC 61757 (fibre optic sensors)
Frontier · Satellite and space systems · Communications payloads, NTN and direct-to-device
Regenerative payloads and on-board processing
Payloads that demodulate, route or run base-station functions in orbit, cutting gateway dependence and latency.
3GPP Rel-19 NR NTN enhancements (regenerative payload) · 3GPP TS 38.300
Frontier · Satellite and space systems · Communications payloads, NTN and direct-to-device
Direct-to-device in mobile bands
Satellites serving unmodified phones in terrestrial mobile spectrum to extend coverage at the edge of networks.
FCC Supplemental Coverage from Space framework (2024) · ITU WRC-27 agenda item 1.13 (Resolution 253 (WRC-23))
Frontier · Satellite and space systems · Communications payloads, NTN and direct-to-device
Store-and-forward satellite IoT
Satellites that collect data when out of gateway view and deliver later, suited to sparse sensor networks.
3GPP Rel-19 IoT NTN store-and-forward