SK Telecom and Ericsson Outline AI-RAN and 6G Collaboration Plans

Korean operator SK Telecom has shared new details on its collaboration with Ericsson to advance AI-powered radio access networks (AI-RAN) and AI-native architectures through 2031, reports RCR Wireless News. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding in March to pursue joint research, trials, and potential commercialization across AI-RAN, 5G monetization, autonomous networks, zero trust security, and 6G standardization.

According to Yu Takki, head of SK Telecom’s network technology office, AI-RAN integrates artificial intelligence with communications to boost network performance and energy efficiency. The company is applying AI for channel estimation, dynamic resource allocation, and beam management to improve throughput and reduce interference. Reinforcement learning-based schedulers are being tested to reallocate frequency and spatial resources in real time.

Operationally, AI is used to control network components such as power amplifiers and RF chains based on network conditions, reducing power consumption. SK Telecom is also developing frameworks for data governance and interoperability to ensure reliable AI model training and multi-vendor compatibility under standards like those from the O-RAN Alliance.

The partnership extends beyond 5G toward AI-native 6G networks that merge communications and AI more closely. SK Telecom plans to focus on R&D of core convergence technologies from 2026 and to participate actively in shaping early 6G standards through global collaboration.