NTT DOCOMO  has successfully executed the world’s premier outdoor field trial of real-time transceiver systems leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven wireless technology, a critical advancement for sixth-generation (6G) mobile communications (AKA IMT 2030).

Conducted in collaboration with parent company NTT, Inc. (NTT), Nokia Bell Labs, and SK Telecom Co., Ltd, the field trials were held across three sites in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. The results validated that the application of AI optimized system throughput (transmission speed), achieving up to a 100% improvement over conventional, non-AI methods under identical environmental conditions, effectively doubling communication speeds.

Wireless communication quality can be compromised by fluctuations in radio propagation environments, leading to unstable connections. To mitigate this challenge, the partners developed “AI-AI technology,” which applies AI to both the transmitting and receiving ends of the wireless interface. This system dynamically optimizes modulation and demodulation schemes based on prevailing radio conditions, facilitating stable communication across diverse use cases. The efficacy of this technology had previously been confirmed in indoor environments.

The recent field trials aimed to verify the technology’s stable performance in complex outdoor settings, where radio conditions are subject to greater variability from factors such as temperature, weather, and physical obstructions.

This innovative AI wireless technology was evaluated across three distinct outdoor courses with varying propagation conditions, including the presence of obstacles and terminal mobility:

• Course 1: A public road featuring gentle curves, with a test vehicle traveling up to 40 km/h.
• Course 2: An environment with partial signal obstructions.
• Course 3: A road with minimal obstructions, with a test vehicle traveling up to 60 km/h.

In all test scenarios, the technology demonstrated its ability to compensate for signal degradation, confirming enhanced communication speeds. Specifically, in the highly complex propagation conditions of Course 1, the AI-AI technology yielded an average throughput improvement of 18% and a maximum increase of 100% compared to traditional methods.

These findings enable higher-speed data transmission for users and allow network operators to enhance spectrum efficiency and deliver superior quality of service (QoS). The successful outdoor validation marks a significant milestone toward the practical implementation of 6G systems, which promise a combination of high wireless transmission efficiency and reduced power consumption.  NTT DOCOMO remains committed to refining this technology under a wide range of conditions and accelerating R&D efforts toward 6G realization, while simultaneously collaborating with global partners on 6G standardization (in 3GPP and ITU-R WP5D) and deployment.

This new technology will be featured at the NTT R&D FORUM 2025 hosted by NTT, scheduled from November 19–21 and November 25–26, 2025.

These three AI-wireless field trials represent the latest joint effort stemming from the collaborative AI research partnership of DOCOMO, parent NTT, Nokia Bell Labs, and SK Telecom Co, which was established at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February 2024.

NTT Docomo has forged additional 6G alliances with a range of partners, including Ericsson, domestic Japanese suppliers Fujitsu and NEC, and testing specialists Keysight Technologies and Rohde & Schwarz.