# 3 GPP Evolution from 5G to 6G: A 10-Year Retrospective
## 7 3 GPP Release 20: Evolution to 6G  
3 GPP Release 20, set to start in the second half of 2025, marks the third phase of 5G-Advanced evolution. Building on the foundational work of Releases 18 and 19, Release 20 will focus on addressing critical commercial needs, enhancing network performance, and preparing for the eventual transition to 6G. The release will manage a delicate balance between enhancing 5G-Advanced technologies and exploring forward-looking studies essential for developing 6G specifications in Release 21. While approvals of detailed study and work items are planned for June 2025, the 3 GPP workshops in December 2024 provided direction for Release 20, underlining the dual goals of optimizing 5G-Advanced systems and preparing for the evolution to 6G [93]. As a cornerstone technology of 5G, MIMO is anticipated to continue to evolve in Release 20. The release will focus on enhancing downlink and uplink functionalities to address real-world commercial needs. After continuous enhancements since Release 15, Release 20 will selectively target high-impact MIMO topics, such as improved beamforming, enhanced channel reporting, and scalability for massive antenna arrays. AI/ML is expected to continue to play a major role in 5G-Advanced evolution, with Release 20 building on the advancements of previous releases. A key focus will be on integrating AI/ML into mobility management, such as RRM prediction and event forecasting (e.g., handover failures and radio link failures). New AI/ML use cases for NG-RAN will likely be introduced. AI/ML for NR air interface also receives significant attention, particularly in the area of CSI feedback. Enhanced UE data collection capabilities will further advance the use of AI/ML. Ambient IoT technology, which enables ultra-low-power and battery-less IoT devices, will remain a high-priority topic in Release 20. The work in this area will build on Release 19 advancements, aiming to support additional use cases, deployments, connectivity topologies, devices, and traffic types. For example, Release 20 will support a new device type characterized by a slightly higher complexity and peak power consumption (up to a few hundred uW) than the one considered in Release-19 ambient IoT. Enabling voice calls over GEO satellites using NB-IoT technology has also attracted significant attention for Release 20. GEO satellites provide broad global coverage, making them ideal for emergency short message service and voice calls. Release 20 is expected to address the limitations of existing NB-IoT systems, which were initially designed for IoT use cases and which do not support voice services [94]. This will expand the capabilities of GEO satellite communication and meet the growing demand for global, reliable voice services. Sensing emerges as a key theme, with Release 20 potentially exploring its integration into 5G-Advanced systems. Targeting applications such as UAV navigation and smart transportation, the scope may include gNB-based mono-static sensing by utilizing existing NR physical layer design. The potential work will focus on minimizing the 5G specification impact and will coordinate closely with related 6G initiatives to avoid duplication of standards development. For the evolution to 6G, 3 GPP has outlined a comprehensive timeline for 6G studies. The work begins with the use case and requirement studies, followed by technical studies in Release 20. The technical study phase will commence in Q3 2025, lasting approximately 21 months. This phase will explore various 6G technologies, evaluate their performance, and identify those most suitable for implementation. These studies will provide the foundation for the work item phase in Release 21, during which 3 GPP will finalize the first 6G specifications. This process ensures that 3 GPP remains on track to enable initial commercial 6G systems by 2030. Over the past several years, the academic community has generated a rich body of work outlining the vision, requirements, and enabling technologies for 6G.