ITU Sets Technical Requirements to Evaluate 6G Radio Interfaces, Pushes for Approval

Emma Okonji     

Mobile communications experts from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations agency responsible for global regulation of digital technologies, have agreed on the performance requirements for IMT-2030, also known as 6G technology.

The experts have developed unified technical requirements to evaluate 6G radio interferences and they are pushing for its approval in December this year, when the parent study group will meet for further discussions. 

The draft requirements, adopted by consensus by a key ITU expert group in February, mark a major step forward in shaping the next generation of wireless connectivity and communication systems.

Working Party 5D, part of the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), finalised these as unified requirements to evaluate the 6G radio interfaces, with formal approval expected to follow when the parent study group meets in December.

The 6G technology builds on the existing standards for today’s 5G networks with enhanced capabilities envisaged to support more advanced, immersive user experiences and novel forms of collaboration.

The working party’s draft technical requirements outlines 20 technical performance requirements (TPR), with seven of them new and specific to describe the 6G performances.

The full set of technical requirements is based on six proposed usage scenarios for 6G networks: Immersive communication (IC); Hyper reliable and low‑latency communication (HRLLC); Massive communication (MC); Ubiquitous connectivity (UC); Artificial intelligence (AI) and communication (AIAC); and Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC).

The newly defined 6G requirements build on the IMT‑2030 framework that ITU first published in December 2023 as a globally harmonised foundation for next‑generation connectivity. The recommendation also defines the overarching principles for future network design, notably: Sustainability; Security and resilience; Connecting the unconnected; and Ubiquitous intelligence.

According to a statement from ITU, the agency aims for the 6th generation of mobile communications (6G) to enable affordable, resilient, energy‑efficient networks for health, education, agriculture and disaster response. Advanced networks also present a way to close the persistent digital divide that today leaves many people in low-income countries behind.

“6G lays the groundwork for affordable, high‑quality connectivity to remote and underserved communities. By setting globally harmonised performance requirements, it aims to ensure access for everyone, make communication systems more resilient, support sustainability and implement energy‑efficient technologies. ITU aims for innovative 6G services to deliver broad social and economic benefits.

“The 20 requirements set out in the new draft report will provide a consistent basis for specification and evaluation. While the requirements establish minimum performance levels, they do not restrict implementation approaches or guarantee real-world deployment performance. They reflect ongoing global research and technology activities and should pave the way for concrete IMT-2030 evaluation guidelines, the next step in ITU’s global standardization process for 6G,” ITU said in a statement.

Until the expected approval in December this year, the draft remains available exclusively to ITU‑R members directly involved in its finalisation and approval. 

While ITU-R Study Group 5 is responsible for terrestrial services, including Fixed Wireless, Mobile (land, maritime and aeronautical), radio determination service as well as amateur and amateur-satellite services and the development of international standards, regulation and guidelines for these systems, the ITU-R Working Party 5D is responsible for the development and harmonisation of international standards for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) systems, including the latest IMT-2030 (6G) technology. The working party’s efforts ensure interoperability and global compatibility for wireless communication systems.

Meanwhile, global 5G connections reached 2.8 billion by Q3 2025, with adoption growing 35 per cent year-over-year and penetration rates surpassing 36 per cent globally. But as of early 2026, the global 6G penetration rate is effectively zero, as the technology is still in the research and prototyping phase, with commercial deployment not expected until approximately 2030. However, the market for 6G technology is poised for rapid growth, according to ITU.