Verizon Expands 6G Forum With Major Tech Giants to Build AI Wearables

Verizon’s AI Sports Companion prototype used Meta AI glasses, Verizon’s edge network, a locally optimized small language model, an NVIDIA DGX Spark system and SportsDataIO data to provide spoken answers about player statistics, rules, scores and winning probabilities without requiring users to look at a phone.
Verizon CTO Yago Tenorio said the initiative is intended to correct what he viewed as a weakness in 5G’s development: “It’s about creating 6G from the bottom up, starting from a use case, which was lacking in 5G.”
One reported Integrated Sensing and Communication trial with Samsung took place at a major sporting event in Dallas and ran over a virtualized radio access network, or vRAN, which uses software-based radio management rather than dedicated hardware.
The forum is targeting work through 3GPP standards around 2028, with commercial 6G deployment expected at approximately 2030.
Verizon said the new members add capabilities spanning cloud services, advanced silicon and accelerated computing, automated testing and emulation, network security, and immersive-device graphics simulation—broadening the forum beyond traditional telecommunications companies.
Verizon is expanding its 6G Innovation Forum with nine new members including AWS, Cisco, Intel, NVIDIA, and Palo Alto Networks, joining earlier partners like Ericsson, Samsung, Nokia, Meta, and Qualcomm SDX Central. The enlarged group aims to build an open, interoperable 6G network by 2030 with work on spectrum, security, edge computing, and devices—focused on real-world uses like AI-powered smart glasses rather than speed alone Market Screener.
Verizon's approach differs sharply from how 5G was built. The company's CTO, Yago Tenorio, said the new effort is "creating 6G from the bottom up, starting from a use case, which was lacking in 5G." The focus centers on AI-enabled wearables and edge computing. A prototype AI Sports Companion—powered by Meta AI glasses, NVIDIA's DGX Spark system, and local language models—showed how this works SDX Central.
Verizon and Samsung have already demonstrated Integrated Sensing and Communication on 5G Advanced networks Simply Wall St. A trial at a major Dallas sporting event used software-based radio management instead of dedicated hardware. The technology monitors crowd conditions and tracks drones or vehicles without identifying individuals—a privacy-preserving approach to real-time sensing Market Screener.
The nine new members fill gaps beyond traditional telecom. AWS brings cloud infrastructure. Intel, NVIDIA, and MediaTek add advanced chips and processors. Keysight and Rohde & Schwarz contribute testing and validation tools. Palo Alto Networks strengthens security. VIAVI Solutions and Cisco extend network expertise Market Screener. This breadth aims to mature 6G prototypes and align with international 3GPP standards by 2028 SDX Central.
Verizon plans a Los Angeles laboratory to serve as a 6G testing hub for the expanded forum Market Screener. The company targets practical prototypes through 2028–2029 and commercial 6G deployment around 2030. The effort prioritizes low-latency edge processing and two-way data capacity needed for immersive wearable experiences—not just raw speed gains.
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