Nokia Bell Labs
NTT DOCOMO successful outdoor trial of AI-driven wireless interface with 3 partners
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.
This year has seen an increase in partnerships among Korean and Japanese operators. Earlier this month, KDDI‘s research partnership with Nokia Bell Labs was announced, focusing on achieving 6G energy efficiency and enhanced network resilience. Samsung and SoftBank entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last month to co-develop prospective next-generation technologies, encompassing 6G, AI-driven Radio Access Networks (AI RAN), and Large Telecom Models (LTMs).
In a separate MoU signed in March, KT‘s and Samsung’s collaboration was formalized to jointly advance 6G antenna technology. Additionally, KT has maintained a separate research engagement with Nokia centered on semantic communications research.
About NTT DOCOMO:
NTT DOCOMO, Japan’s leading mobile operator with over 91 million subscribers, is one of the global leaders in 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies.
Under the slogan “Bridging Worlds for Wonder & Happiness,” DOCOMO is actively collaborating with global partners to expand its business scope from mobile services to comprehensive solutions, aiming to deliver unsurpassed value and drive innovation in technology and communications, ultimately to support positive change and advancement in global society.
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References:
https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/info/media_center/pr/2025/1117_00.html
https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/
https://www.lightreading.com/6g/ntt-docomo-doubles-6g-throughput-in-ai-trials
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Nokia Bell Labs and KDDI Research partner for 6G energy efficiency and network resiliency
Nokia Bell Labs and KDDI Research have partnered to advance 6G technology, focusing on improving network energy efficiency and resilience. The collaboration combines KDDI’s real-world network data and operational insights with Nokia Bell Labs’ expertise in energy consumption models and programmable network architectures. This joint research agreement, signed on November 5, 2025, builds on a long history of cooperation and aims to accelerate the development and deployment of sustainable, intelligent 6G networks.
Under this new agreement, the two companies are conducting research in two key areas of 6G:
- mMIMO energy efficiency: New techniques for reducing base-station energy consumption while enhancing communication, specifically targeted at proposed 6G spectrum.
- Distributed programmable core network services for 6G: New mobile core technologies that will ensure continuous communication during infrastructure failures and natural disasters.
KDDI Research and Nokia Bell Labs will demonstrate their initial work in mMIMO energy efficiency at the Brooklyn 6G Summit Nov 5 – 7.
Peter Vetter, President, Core Research, Nokia Bell Labs:
“Tackling the inherent challenges in a new generation of networking requires close collaboration in the industry. Working side by side, KDDI Research and Nokia Bell Labs can advance the state of the art in networking thanks to different perspectives on the problems and possible solutions. Ultimately, the joint outcomes will make 6G a more resilient, efficient and intelligent technology.”
Satoshi Konishi, President and CEO, KDDI Research:
“Through our strategic and close collaboration with Nokia Bell Labs, we aim to accelerate R&D initiatives and further strengthen the ‘Power to Connect’ toward 6G. We strive to continuously deliver new value to our customers and make meaningful contributions to societal progress.”
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Nokia Bell Labs claims new world record of 800 Gbps for transoceanic optical transmission
Nokia Bell Labs sets world record in fiber optic bit rates
Nokia Bell Labs sets world record in fiber optic bit rates
Nokia Bell Labs announced that its researchers set the world record for the highest single carrier bit rate at 1.52 Tbps over 80 km of standard single mode fibre, the equivalent of simultaneously streaming 1.5 million YouTube videos – which is four times the market’s existing approximately 400 Gbps. The company said this world record, along with other announced optical networking innovations, will further strengthen its ability to create networks for the 5G era that meet the ever-growing data, capacity and latency demands of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and consumer applications.
Several of these achievements were presented as part of Nokia Bell Labs’ post deadline research papers at the Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exhibition (OFC) that took place during March 9-15, 2020 in San Diego, CA. In addition, Nokia Bell Labs researcher Di Che was awarded the OFC Tingye Li Innovation Prize.
The highest single-carrier bitrate at 1.52 Tbps was set by a Nokia Bell Labs optical research team led by Fred Buchali. This record was established by employing a new 128 Gigasample/second converter enabling the generation of signals at 128 Gbaud symbol rate and information rates of the individual symbols beyond 6.0 bits/symbol/polarization. This accomplishment breaks the team’s own record of 1.3 Tbps set in September 2019 while supporting Nokia’s record-breaking field trial with Etisalat.
Nokia Bell Labs researcher Di Che and his team also set a new data-rate world record for directly modulated lasers (DML), which are crucially important for low-cost, high-speed applications such as datacenter connections. The DML team achieved a world record data rate beyond 400 Gbps for links up to 15 km.
Marcus Weldon, Nokia CTO and President of Nokia Bell Labs, said:
“It has been fifty years since the inventions of the low-loss fiber and the associated optics. From the original 45 Megabit-per-second systems to more than 1 Terabit-per-second systems of today – a more than 20,000-fold increase in 40 years – to create the fundamental underpinning of the internet and the digital societies as we know it. The role of Nokia Bell Labs has always been to push the envelope and redefine the limits of what’s possible. Our latest world records in optical research are yet another proof point that we are inventing even faster and more robust networks that will underpin the next industrial revolution.”
In addition to these world records, Nokia Bell Labs researchers have also recently achieved significant achievements in optical communications, including:
- The first field trial using spatial-division-multiplexed (SDM) cable over a 2,000km span of 4-core coupled-core fiber was achieved by researchers Roland Ryf and the SDM team. The experiments clearly show that coupled-core fibers are technically viable, offer high transmission performance, while maintaining an industry standard 125-um cladding diameter.
- A research team led by Rene-Jean Essiambre, Roland Ryf and Murali Kodialam introduced a novel new set of modulation formats that provide improved linear and nonlinear transmission performance at submarine distances of 10,000 km. The proposed transmission formats are generated by a neuronal network and can significantly outperform traditional formats (QPSK) used in today’s submarine systems.
- Researcher Junho Cho and team experimentally demonstrated capacity gains of 23% for submarine cable systems that operate under electrical supply power constraints. The capacity gains were achieved by optimizing the gain shaping filters using neural networks.
The researchers that achieved the world record and research results are part of Nokia Bell Labs’ Smart Optical Fabric & Devices Research Lab, which designs and builds the future of optical communications systems, pushing the state-of-the-art in physics, materials science, math, software and optics to create new networks that adapt to changing conditions and go far beyond today’s limitations.
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About Nokia
We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.
Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia.
About Nokia Bell Labs
Nokia Bell Labs is the world-renowned industrial research arm of Nokia. Over its more than 90-year history, Bell Labs has invented many of the foundational technologies that underpin information and communications networks and all digital devices and systems. This research has resulted in 9 Nobel Prizes, three Turing Awards, three Japan Prizes, a plethora of National Medals of Science and Engineering, as well as three Emmys, two Grammys and an Oscar for technical innovations. For more information, visit www.bell-labs.com.
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