3GPP maps road to 6G as Release 21 timeline finalizes

The transition to Release 21 signifies the industry's pivot toward an AI-native 6G architecture, moving beyond the incremental gains of 5G. For streaming video, this standardizes the next-generation capacity needed for immersive XR and holographic communication, which current 5G-Advanced specifications only begin to address. This roadmap provides the predictability required for multi-year capital expenditures by chipmakers and network operators. As Release 20 reaches 80% completion this month, the market must track the finalization of Stage 2 architecture, which dictates how cloud-native networking and embedded AI will facilitate future software-driven video delivery.

In the weeks surrounding the June 2026 3GPP plenary in Singapore, the mobile industry has intensified its focus on the '6G bridge.' Per reports from The Mobile Network in April 2026, Release 20 is serving as a critical dual-track milestone, aggressively finishing 5G-Advanced work while accelerating 6G studies to ensure commercial systems are viable by 2030. A June 2026 update from Critical Communications Review notes that Release 21 will contain the first normative 6G specifications, specifically defining technical requirements that allow chipset suppliers to begin developing prototypes.

On the commercial front, 5G-Advanced features from Release 19 are already impacting the streaming landscape. Per KDDI in April 2026, the 'Inter-CU LTM' function in Release 19 enables high-speed handovers that eliminate interruptions during mobile video streaming or gaming when users move between base stations. Furthermore, Light Reading reported in June 2026 that 5G Broadcast is gaining traction as a secondary distribution method for data-intensive video, with companies like DISH’s parent SPAC, CONX, specifically targeting 3GPP-compliant 5G Broadcasting technology to reach millions of devices without stressing traditional cell towers.

Technologically, the consensus among 3GPP delegates is that 6G must be AI-native from inception. According to Qualcomm and Ericsson briefings in late 2025 and 2026, while 5G added AI as a layer, 6G is being designed with AI-driven air interfaces and RAN signaling to support sub-msec latency and throughputs in the terabit-per-second range. These developments are tracked closely by the ITU-R’s IMT-2030 framework, which align with these 3GPP release cycles to deliver a globally interoperable 6G standard by the end of the decade.