Ericsson and Telia Start Outdoor 6G Trials in Sweden With Sensing Platform

Sweden became one of the first places in the Nordic region to host a major outdoor trial of sixth generation mobile networks after Telia and Ericsson started field testing on Monday, November 2. The two companies said the work examines coverage, signal performance, uplink capacity, reliability and latency, with the aim of improving how 6G networks are planned and deployed. The trials use Ericsson's pre-standard 6G functions in the upper 6 GHz frequency band, and commercial rollout is expected around 2030 to 2032.

The companies framed the tests as part of a wider roadmap that covers technology development, industry collaboration, security and spectrum planning. Both have argued that Sweden's existing 5G investments provide the foundation for the next generation. Telia Sweden head Anders Olsson said the operator is bringing together industry, academia and the public sector so the country can take a leading role in 6G development, while Ericsson's head for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Patrick Johansson, pointed to the region's record of early adoption of mobile technology.

What the trial is measuring

Engineers from both companies are on site to gather data on how signals travel and how much traffic the network can carry from devices back to the base station. Those measurements, along with checks on latency and reliability, are meant to inform design choices before standards are settled. The partners also plan to assess future spectrum needs, including the 6 GHz and 600 MHz bands, to support the capacity and coverage that 6G networks are expected to require.

Alongside the field work, Ericsson launched an integrated sensing and communication platform, known in the industry as ISAC, which it describes as a key function for the 6G era. The company said the system was developed after several trials, including one with AT&T earlier this year. Sensing capability lets a network detect and respond to physical surroundings, a function that appeared in the Telia trial and that could support uses such as autonomous transportation, industrial robotics and monitoring of critical infrastructure.

The two companies said initial 6G capabilities are expected to be available to partners in the NorthStar innovation program from 2029, ahead of commercial service. They will build on existing initiatives, including NorthStar and Digital Arena Sweden, so businesses, researchers and public sector organizations can explore possible applications. Telia also intends to convene stakeholders to help define a national 6G security architecture for Sweden, with cybersecurity and resilience treated as part of the design.

What it means for telecom careers

For people working in networks and telecom, the shift toward 6G is stretching the skill base beyond radio planning. Engineers are being asked to work with distributed computing, artificial intelligence embedded in network functions, and sensing features that blend radio with environmental awareness. Spectrum specialists, security architects and test engineers who can validate performance in live outdoor conditions are likely to be in demand as operators move from laboratory work to field programs. The trial period running to 2029 gives employers and training providers a defined window to build those capabilities.

The Swedish announcement is also a signal about how vendors are positioning themselves with carriers. Ericsson is presenting its sensing platform as something operators can deploy as they develop advanced 5G services and prepare for the next generation, rather than a product for the distant future. That approach lets carriers add functions gradually and test business cases before committing to large network replacements.

What to watch next

The next milestones are the results from the outdoor tests and the work of the NorthStar partners, who are due to gain access to early 6G capabilities in 2029. Decisions on spectrum allocation in the 6 GHz and 600 MHz bands will shape how much capacity operators can offer, and the emerging national security framework in Sweden may influence how suppliers and operators design future systems. The industry will also be watching whether other European carriers follow with their own field trials in the coming year.