With SK Telecom and Ericsson agreeing to cooperate on the advancement of mobile networks using AI, the domestic telecommunications industry's preparations for 6G are becoming more concrete, moving beyond the research and standardization stages. This collaboration started with enhancing the performance and operational efficiency of current 5G networks and has shifted its focus to jointly verifying the core architecture of next-generation 6G.

SK Telecom announced on the 19th that it has signed a business agreement with Ericsson to strengthen cooperation on AI-based mobile network technology. The scope of cooperation was outlined as AI-based Radio Access Network (AI-RAN), 5G advancement, open and autonomous networks, security, 6G standardization, and future technologies.

The key is AI-RAN. This is a method in which the network learns and predicts the wireless environment to autonomously optimize resource allocation and operation, and it can be utilized to enhance energy efficiency and security capabilities along with performance improvement. The plan is to add advanced 5G technology to this to lay the foundation for implementing new services and to expand the scope of utilization of existing communication networks.

In the field of open and autonomous networks, research is being pursued to enhance automation levels even in multi-vendor environments where equipment from various manufacturers operates together. In the security domain, a direction has been proposed to strengthen network and endpoint protection systems based on zero trust and continuous monitoring. This reflects the judgment that operational automation and continuous verification systems become increasingly important as communication networks become more complex.

The range of applicable industries is also wide. AI-based networks are highly likely to become a foundational technology in industrial sites requiring large-scale data processing, autonomous driving and robotics fields demanding ultra-low latency communication, and smart cities and public infrastructure requiring large-scale terminal connectivity. In particular, the ISAC combining communication and sensing, the evolution of ultra-large multi-antenna technology, and discussions on frequency strategies demonstrate that 6G is moving beyond a simple speed competition toward expanding the functionality of the network itself.

This agreement goes beyond simple equipment cooperation and is strongly characterized by its nature of testing a next-generation communication architecture in which AI is embedded throughout the network. Although there is still time until the commercial launch of 6G, the importance of joint research between telecommunications companies and equipment manufacturers is expected to grow, as operators who secure a head start in standardization and demonstration are highly likely to take the lead in the future ecosystem.