6G pragmatism over hype: a live discussion

"The industry is in a fragile place and needs an approach that shores up its position, reduces operations cost and sustains existing revenue streams." – William Webb

Much like 5G, the march to 6G had been guided by grand ambitions. But is the industry finally embracing a more pragmatic approach? On our latest episode of Zero-Touch Live, independent analysts Dean Bubley and William Webb joined Rakuten Symphony CMO Geoff Hollingworth to unpack the latest 6G standardization developments and what they really mean.

Following MWC 2025, where 6G talk was notably muted versus previous gatherings, the 3GPP 6G Workshop in South Korea revealed a shift in tone from major vendors. While past visions painted 6G as "5G on steroids,” the latest proposals have been pragmatically centered around lower costs, operational efficiency and realistic deployments.

Watch the full replay of our conversation now below.

Is 6G development changing course?

Dean and William joined Geoff to discuss how the latest industry 6G conversations have been anchored in:

• A shift from hype to usefulness – Instead of futuristic, unproven concepts, vendors are now emphasizing cost reduction and energy efficiency with a shift away from unnecessary complexity.
• Rethinking the "G" model – Dean argues that 6G should be a bug fix for 5G, stripping down unnecessary complexity while allowing modular "plug-ins" for industry-specific needs.
• The traffic growth myth – William challenged the long-standing industry assumption that mobile data traffic growth is slowing significantly, pointing to rising spectrum demands.
• Missed opportunities: Wi-Fi, satellite and alternative networks – While 3GPP discussions remain MNO-centric, there is recognition that integrating Wi-Fi, satellite, and flexible spectrum models could be a game-changer for global connectivity.

The bottom line

Telecom can't afford another "5G moment" where expectations outpace reality. The real challenge is ensuring 6G isn’t just another round of expensive technical updates without a path to economic return.

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