Nokia and KDDI Research have entered into a joint research agreement to accelerate the development of sustainable, intelligent and resilient 6G networks. By combining KDDI’s real network data and operational insights with Nokia Bell Labs’ advanced energy consumption models and features and expertise in programmable network architectures, the companies can jointly explore new approaches to energy efficiency and distributed core network design.
The research agreement, signed on November 5, 2025, will help both organizations shape the direction of 6G research and bring practical innovations closer to real-world deployment. The agreement expands on Nokia and KDDI’s long history of collaboration, leveraging the companies’ respective strengths: KDDI Research’s cutting-edge advanced communications R&D work and Nokia Bell Labs’ leadership in technology and telecommunications innovation.
Under this new agreement, the two companies are conducting research in two key areas of 6G:
mMIMO energy efficiency: New techniques for reducing base-station energy consumption while enhancing communication, specifically targeted at proposed 6G spectrum.
Distributed programmable core network services for 6G: New mobile core technologies that will ensure continuous communication during infrastructure failures and natural disasters.
KDDI Research and Nokia Bell Labs will demonstrate their initial work in mMIMO energy efficiency at the Brooklyn 6G Summit Nov 5 – 7.
Peter Vetter, President, Core Research, Bell Labs, Nokia, said, “Tackling the inherent challenges in a new generation of networking requires close collaboration in the industry. Working side by side, KDDI Research and Nokia Bell Labs can advance the state of the art in networking thanks to different perspectives on the problems and possible solutions. Ultimately, the joint outcomes will make 6G a more resilient, efficient and intelligent technology.”
Satoshi Konishi, President and CEO, KDDI Research, commented, “Through our strategic and close collaboration with Nokia Bell Labs, we aim to accelerate R&D initiatives and further strengthen the ‘Power to Connect’ toward 6G. We strive to continuously deliver new value to our customers and make meaningful contributions to societal progress.”
