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Officials first shared details of the initiative with Politico. The partnership includes countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan \u2014 and Greece. It aims to coordinate governments\u2019 6G strategies years before the technology is expected to begin replacing 5G networks in the 2030s.<\/p>\n
The initial list of governments affirming the 6G partnership includes Albania, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
The initiative establishes points of contact across participating governments, shares technical resources and lays the groundwork for commercial deployment. It also advances President Donald Trump\u2019s push for U.S. leadership in 6G, following last year\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which charted a path to advance next-generation wireless networks, and a December presidential memorandum that directed diplomatic coalition-building.<\/p>\n
The effort is intended to serve as a counterweight to China\u2019s telecom ambitions and the global reach of companies such as Huawei and ZTE. Officials view closer collaboration with allies as critical to shaping international technical standards ahead of next year\u2019s World Radiocommunication Conference in Shanghai, where countries will negotiate key decisions affecting the future of wireless networks.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday\u2019s action recognizes that 6G will be dramatically different from 5G, and that advancing U.S. and allied leadership requires a dramatically different playbook,\u201d said Arielle Roth, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is spearheading the initiative. \u201cBy working now with trusted partners, we will ensure that next generation networks reflect our shared security interests, strengthen our competitiveness, and drive innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The partnership could also help the United States navigate global challenges, including the ongoing war with Iran and discontent over Trump\u2019s aggressive tariff policies.<\/p>\n
The race to build 5G networks previously pitted the U.S. against China over national security concerns. Washington declared Chinese telecom companies to pose distinct risks and, dating back to the first Trump term, spent years urging allies to avoid partnering with Huawei and ZTE. The U.S. has spent billions of dollars helping telecom companies remove Huawei and ZTE equipment from rural networks.<\/p>\n
The joint call to action states: \u201cWe are committed to promoting approaches to 6G that deliver an open, interoperable, secure, resilient, AI-supported, highly innovative, and resource efficient global communications system, with like-minded nations both leading in and benefiting from the most sophisticated wireless connectivity available. We must take concrete steps to strengthen our 6G supply chains, accelerate innovation, and ensure that the future of wireless communications is shaped by like-minded nations.\u201d<\/p>\n
It emphasizes the governments\u2019 desire to develop \u201cstrong baselines for the security and resilience of our networks\u201d and to work with industry, academia and other stakeholders on open, secure systems.<\/p>\n
While each country\u2019s specific steps will vary, the document sets collective commitments and benchmarks for the next month, three months, six months and one year \u2014 including an in-person gathering next year to discuss best practices, assess the strategic landscape with industry stakeholders, and set priorities for the following year.<\/p>\n
Roth and Commerce Deputy Secretary Paul Dabbar are scheduled to present the initiative at a launch event on Wednesday hosted by the Center for Strategic & International Studies.<\/p>\n
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