SKT Announces Core 6G Technologies at 'SK Tech Summit 2023'

SK Telecom announced on the 19th that it discussed the current status of 6G standardization and the necessity of global cooperation at the 'SK Tech Summit 2023' held at COEX, Seoul, on the 16th and 17th.

At the 6G special session of this event, SKT introduced key technologies for the 6G era, including 6G RIS development, the publication of the 6G white paper, AI-based power consumption reduction technology on devices, and the current status and evolution direction of Open RAN technology.

Global operators such as NTT Docomo and Bell Canada also participated in the 6G special session, emphasizing global cooperation for the successful standardization and commercialization of 6G.

Takahiro Nakamura, Chief Standardization Officer (CSO) of NTT Docomo, who delivered the keynote speech, introduced promising 6G technologies and collaborative outcomes following the strategic partnership with SKT, including the jointly published 6G white paper.

Javan Erfaniyan, Technical Director at Bell Canada, presented the activities of NGMN's 6G project and the status of global cooperation, including the NGMN 6G white paper published earlier this year. The NGMN 6G white paper outlines 6G requirements and design considerations from the operators' perspective and was co-authored by about 40 companies, including Deutsche Telekom, NTT Docomo, and Vodafone, with SKT being the only domestic mobile operator participating.

SKT is engaging in various global activities to welcome a successful 6G era. Earlier this month, SKT was the only domestic operator to participate in the ‘6G Brooklyn Summit’ held in New York, USA, where it delivered a keynote speech on ‘6G core technologies and requirements including AI-based 6G network evolution’ and ‘killer services for 6G and securing low-frequency broadband spectrum’.

Additionally, on the 15th, at ‘Telecom World Asia’ held in Bangkok, Thailand, SKT gave a keynote presentation and panel discussion on topics such as ‘securing low-frequency broadband spectrum essential for 6G evolution, early research and development, and ecosystem expansion through global cooperation’.

Furthermore, SKT participated in various domestic and international 6G-related activities, including IOWN, Open RAN Industry Alliance (ORIA), O-RAN Alliance, 3GPP, and the World Radiocommunication Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Ryu Takgi, head of SKT’s infrastructure technology division, said, “We will continue to lead the creation of the 6G ecosystem and the development of future network evolution technologies through global cooperation, contributing to solidifying South Korea’s position as a global ICT leader.”