Welcome to the Future: Samsung and SK Telecom’s Ambitious 6G Plans Unveil a New Era

Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop 6G cellular network technologies. As stated in the press release, the companies will work on and test key technologies for the 6G era. But, as with everything in 2025, this collaboration will not bypass AI.

Development efforts will be primarily focused on artificial intelligence-powered radio access network (AI-RAN) technology, including AI-based channel evaluation, distributed multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) transmissions, AI-RAN-based schedulers, and core network architectures. Samsung claims that AI-based channel evaluation predicts and corrects signal transmission in real-time, enhancing network performance by ensuring faster and more accurate data transmission in environments where radio waves are distorted by obstacles such as buildings or walls.

AI-RAN schedulers and AI-powered core networks determine when, where, and how to send data, ensuring efficient resource distribution even with a large number of connected user devices. These technologies play a key role in enhancing network quality and advancing automation in the future hyper-connected society.

As part of this partnership, Samsung’s research arm will develop AI-RAN technologies, including AI-based channel evaluation models, schedulers, and distributed MIMO. SKT will manage data provisioning and set up the testing infrastructure based on its nationwide network operations. The companies are also collaborating within the AI-RAN alliance. They have jointly proposed an AI-based channel evaluation technology, which was officially approved as a working project. This month, they presented the results of their research at the alliance’s general meeting, continuing their joint work.

Recent developments indicate that Samsung and SK Telecom have expanded their partnership to include new pioneering techniques in spectrum sharing and energy-efficient network deployments. These advancements are expected to not only accelerate data speeds but also lower energy consumption across networks, aligning with global sustainability goals.

In 2025, industry insiders stress that the race to 6G is intensifying as global tech giants position themselves at the forefront of innovation. The collaboration between Samsung and SK Telecom, leveraging AI, is seen as a crucial step toward achieving seamless connectivity worldwide, propelling us closer to an unprecedented era of technological marvels.