A Significant Step Forward in the 6G Journey: Reflections from the 3GPP - O-RAN ALLIANCE Joint Workshop

On 24–25 April 2025, the 3GPP - O-RAN ALLIANCE joint workshop brought together experts from across the telecom ecosystem at ETSI Headquarters for a focused exchange on coordination for 6G.

The discussions were technical, structured and constructive, covering coordination areas between the two organizations. The dialogue addressed interoperability, scheduling, and the appropriate separation of roles – aiming to avoid fragmentation and support aligned 6G development efforts, and to ensure 6G specifications from both organizations be available to the global ecosystem at the same time.

With 404 registered participants (132 on-site) and 23 formal contributions submitted, the workshop delivered clarity on immediate coordination goals, while also identifying areas for further exploration.

The joint sessions were structured around three key goals:

• Sharing high-level information of 3GPP (e.g., structure, 6G schedule, and planned studies at plenary and working group levels), and O-RAN ALLIANCE.
• Inviting contributions regarding interaction and collaboration between 3GPP and O-RAN, including areas such as fronthaul, SMO, RIC, etc., and release planning.
• Establishing a high-level understanding of the work split between 3GPP and O-RAN – including planning processes and future cooperation mechanisms to prevent duplication or conflict.

We would like to thank the four session chairs for their thoughtful moderation:

• From 3GPP: Axel Klatt (Deutsche Telekom), Puneet Jain (Intel)
• From O-RAN ALLIANCE: Doug Knisely (Qualcomm), Kei Andou (NTT Docomo)

This workshop marked a step toward pragmatic alignment – not just between specifications, but between two global communities committed to shaping the 6G future responsibly.

Special thanks go to Emanuelle, Ines, and the ETSI organizing team, whose preparation and coordination ensured the workshop ran smoothly and neutrally.

‍