Verizon and Ericsson have conducted the world's first field test of pre-standard 6G technology. The trial took place at a commercial Verizon network site in Concord, California, marking the transition of 6G development from laboratory settings to real-world environments.
The setup utilized Ericsson's 6G proof-of-concept equipment operating on the 7GHz frequency band with a 400MHz carrier bandwidth. The test infrastructure included a mobile cabin measuring 3.7 meters by 2.4 meters, equipped with independent power sources and various building materials to analyze signal penetration.
The companies evaluated network performance metrics such as throughput, latency, and stability under diverse conditions. This included testing line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight propagation, as well as signal behavior when passing through vegetation, obstacles, and different types of glass or construction materials.
Both parties clarified that this achievement is a conceptual validation and does not signal the start of commercial 6G services. The data collected from these field tests will be used to inform future research, technical development, and long-term network deployment strategies.
