Optus, in partnership with Nokia, has completed one of Australia’s most advanced 6G research trials, demonstrating how future mobile networks could deliver the capacity, performance and intelligence required to support the nation’s growing digital economy and emerging AI-powered services.
Conducted on an existing Optus mobile site alongside a live 5G network, the trial successfully achieved peak download speeds of 3.5Gbps using upper 6GHz spectrum on a MediaTek-powered test smartphone and Nokia’s advanced 6GHz massive MIMO antenna, showcasing the potential role of the spectrum band in the evolution towards 6G. At these speeds, a two-hour HD movie could be downloaded in just a few seconds, or up to 140 simultaneous 4K video streams could be supported.
The research comes as governments, regulators and industry bodies around the world consider how upper 6GHz spectrum can support future mobile connectivity needs, with demand continuing to grow from AI applications, video services, cloud computing and connected devices.
The trial also demonstrated that future 6G deployments in upper 6GHz spectrum could potentially leverage much of today’s mobile network infrastructure, helping deliver higher capacity and enhanced performance while maintaining broad coverage.
According to Sri Amirthalingam, Optus Chief Technology Officer, the achievement forms part of Optus’ ongoing network innovation program and its long-term work to help shape the technologies, standards and spectrum frameworks that will underpin the evolution from 5G to 6G.
“This trial is an important milestone in Optus’ long-term 6G research program and helps us better understand how future mobile networks can be designed to meet Australia’s unique connectivity needs. Achieving 3.5Gbps using upper 6GHz spectrum demonstrates the significant opportunity this band could provide for future networks as demand for data-intensive applications such as AI services, immersive video, cloud applications and connected devices continues to grow.
“As networks become increasingly AI-native, that enhanced capability will unlock a new generation of AI-powered experiences, from smarter digital assistants that can understand their environment, to more immersive education and real-time support for frontline workers. Our focus is on turning these innovations into meaningful benefits for Australians,” he added.
Mark Atkinson, Head of Radio Networks, Mobile Infrastructure at Nokia, says, “This trial with Optus demonstrates the potential of upper 6GHz spectrum to deliver the high capacity and performance that future networks will require, while also validating how existing infrastructure can evolve towards 6G.
“At Nokia, we see AI and connectivity becoming increasingly intertwined, with AI-native networks and AI-RAN enabling operators to deliver greater efficiency, better customer experiences and the platform required for AI-powered applications at scale. Through continued innovation and collaboration with Optus, we are advancing connectivity through AI-driven network innovation, helping shape the future of mobile communications and supporting Australia’s leadership in next-generation digital and AI technologies.”
Key trial findings
- Greater capacity for future mobile services: The trial achieved a world-record maximum download speed of 3.5Gbps in the upper 6GHz band on a smartphone test device equipped with the MediaTek M90 modem, using wider spectrum bandwidth (200MHz of upper 6GHz spectrum) and more advanced massive MIMO antenna technology (768 Antenna Elements) than the existing 5G technology in the 3.5GHz band. The result demonstrates the substantial capacity potential of the upper 6GHz band for future 6G networks.
- Existing infrastructure can support the evolution to 6G: Testing showed the upper 6GHz spectrum band with the advanced massive MIMO antenna technology delivers a similar outdoor coverage footprint to Optus’ existing 5G 3.5GHz band. This suggests future 6G services could be deployed using much of today’s network infrastructure, helping deliver enhanced performance while maintaining broad coverage. Indoor testing also demonstrated how in-building mobile infrastructure could be designed to support a seamless 6G experience.
- AI-powered network design: In a world-first demonstration, Optus and Nokia used an AI-powered robotic dog platform to automatically measure indoor mobile coverage and help design future 6G networks. The technology could make network planning faster, more efficient and more accurate.
- Supporting Australia’s digital future: Upper 6GHz spectrum is widely viewed as a critical band for 6G because it can provide significantly greater mobile network capacity while maintaining practical coverage characteristics.
The results from this trial will contribute to Optus‘ ongoing 6G research and future planning activities, while also supporting broader industry discussions and international standards development through organisations including the ITU-R and 3GPP.
Building on this work, Optus and Nokia will continue to use the Sydney-based test bed established through this trial to advance future 6G research, helping Australia remain at the forefront of next-generation mobile technology development and preparing for the next evolution of mobile connectivity.