Taiwan ramps up 6G cooperation, kicks off spectrum roadmap
On June 16, Taiwan's ITRI signed an MoU with Europe's 6G-IA and a research agreement with Dutch TNO on Integrated Sensing and Communications at the 2026 EuCNC & 6G Summit. Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs has begun its 6G spectrum plan, with candidate bands covering 600 MHz, the upper 6 GHz range, and 4.7-5 GHz, expected to be published by year-end. Dell'Oro forecasts cumulative 6G RAN spending above $500 billion.
19 European institutions jointly launch SHIELD-6G project
On June 17, a consortium of 19 organizations from 10 European countries, led by University College Dublin, officially launched SHIELD-6G (Scalable, Hybrid, and Intelligent End-to-End Defense for 6G Networks) with funding from Horizon Europe SNS JU. The project combines AI threat detection, federated learning, digital-twin security testing, and explainable AI, with validation across three scenarios: healthcare, smart manufacturing, and maritime communications.
Verizon launches $30 "Simplicity" plan with unlimited 5G and satellite SMS
On June 17, Verizon unveiled its Simplicity plan at $45 per month, with a $30 promotional price for new line port-ins. It includes unlimited Ultra Wideband 5G, 10 GB of hotspot, unlimited international roaming, satellite SMS, and 720p video streaming. A "Verizon Dollars" loyalty cashback program was launched alongside the plan.
Ericsson and Verizon Business expand Private 5G to global markets
On June 15, Ericsson announced it will take Ericsson Private 5G to international markets through Verizon Business. The solution supports 4G/5G dual-mode, is compatible with global spectrum, and covers both indoor and outdoor deployments. Primary use cases include smart manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, remote medical diagnostics, and smart campuses at universities.
Federated Wireless launches Spectrum AI, boosting CBRS capacity 5x
On June 18, Federated Wireless introduced its Spectrum AI platform, purpose-built for shared-spectrum planning. Trial data shows a 5x capacity increase in dense indoor CBRS deployments, a roughly 50% reduction in the number of required access points, RF simulation speed improved 100x-1,000x, and path-loss prediction error held within 0.5 dB.
GSMA: operators must tackle cross-border roaming interoperability in the 5G SA era
On June 11, a GSMA report noted that 5G SA introduces the N26 interface to support SA-to-SA roaming, but inconsistent implementations of network slicing, policy control, and LADN across operators are leading to unstable SA roaming experiences. GSMA called for prioritizing SA roaming testing and standardization, and recommended forming a multi-lateral test working group.
Ericsson Mobility Report June edition: 5G subscribers top 3 billion
The report released on June 16 said global 5G added 162 million subscribers in Q1 2026, pushing the total past 3 billion, with 5G now carrying half of all mobile data traffic worldwide. The share of operators offering 5G FWA climbed to 71% (from 57% a year earlier), and the number of commercial 5G SA network-slicing products grew from 65 to 84 in six months. AI agents are accelerating uplink growth, with uplink traffic expected to grow three times faster than downlink before 2031.
Taara unveils silicon-photonics wireless optical link "Taara Beam"
On June 19, Alphabet X spinout Taara introduced Taara Beam, a wireless optical communication device that replaces traditional mechanical mirrors with a fingernail-sized silicon-photonics chip. It can deliver fiber-class wireless links up to 25 Gbps over distances of up to 10 km, requires no trenching or spectrum license, and is primarily aimed at AI data center interconnect.
LoRa Alliance unveils three-year roadmap, cementing IoT's fourth connectivity pillar
The LoRa Alliance this week released a three-year technical roadmap, aiming to position LoRaWAN as the fourth pillar of wireless connectivity alongside cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The roadmap focuses on five areas: application integration, device onboarding, network interfaces, coverage extension, and certification. The Alliance plans a hybrid gateway that combines LoRaWAN with 5G RedCap. Alliance data shows global LoRaWAN device shipments grew 35% year-on-year in 2026.