U.S. rallies 24-nation coalition to align 6G standards against China

This move signals a shift from defensive technology bans to an offensive, alliance-based standardization strategy. By embedding AI and cybersecurity into the protocol level, the U.S. aims to prevent the vendor lock-in and delayed rollouts that characterized the 5G era. For streaming, this infrastructure pivot is critical; 6G’s native AI capabilities and software-defined nature are essential for the ultra-low latency required by next-generation immersive video and cloud-based distribution. Watch for these 24 nations to push for a unified submission to the ITU's IMT-2030 process by 2027 to gain leverage over Chinese technical specifications.

The NTIA’s initiative follows a broader U.S. push to secure the wireless ecosystem. In July 2026, the FCC approved final rules to auction 160 megahertz of the Upper C-band by July 2027, which it expects will facilitate 6G services for Americans by 2030. This domestic spectrum clearing complements President Trump’s December 2025 "Winning the 6G Race" memorandum, which directed federal agencies to relocate current users and prioritize a 600MHz to 800MHz pipeline for exclusive commercial use, particularly in the 7.125-7.4 GHz range.

Simultaneously, the global standards body 3GPP finalized its first official 6G roadmap in June 2026. The 3GPP Release 21 timeline, approved during a plenary meeting in Singapore, sets a functional freeze date for 6G specifications in December 2028, with a full code freeze targeted for March 2029. This formalization marks the transition from theoretical research to normative engineering, moving the industry closer to the first wave of commercial network deployments.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which designates 6G as IMT-2030, has established its own evaluation window starting in February 2027. Under the ITU framework, regional bodies have until 2029 to submit technological proposals that meet specific usage scenarios—including immersive communication and integrated sensing. The NTIA coalition is specifically designed to ensure that Western security requirements are integrated into these global ITU standards before the final specifications are published in June 2030.