Bridging 5G to 6G with Framgång RF Drive Test Software & LTE 4G Tester tools
Release 20 is being developed with dual goals: first, to finalize enhancements under 5G-Advanced; second, to initiate studies on 6G architectural and technology themes.
Within the 5G community, Release 20 is often viewed as the “last major 5G release” before full 6G work begins. Because of that, many basic 5G-Advanced enhancements that were delayed or deferred are expected to be included. At the same time, 3GPP is laying groundwork for 6G by defining use cases, performance targets, and interfaces that may become part of Release 21 (or later). So, now let us look into bridging 5g to 6g along with User-friendly LTE RF drive test tools in telecom & RF drive test software in telecom and User-friendly 4G Tester, 4G LTE Tester, 4G Network Tester and VOLTE Testing tools & Equipment in detail.
The 3GPP specification roadmap for Release 20 includes:
- Stage-1 (service requirements) freeze by June 2025
- Stage-2 (system architecture) targeting ~80% by June 2026, final freeze ~September 2026
- Stage-3 (protocols, messages, detailed specs) aiming for freeze around March 2027, with final abstract syntax / API freeze by June 2027
This projection signals that Release 20 will take an extended duration, in part because of its dual nature (enhance 5G and explore 6G).
Release 20’s 5G-Advanced enhancements will focus selectively: only those enhancements deemed critical for commercial operation, or those that feed into the 6G transition.
Meanwhile, the 6G portion of Release 20 is exploratory: it involves study items rather than full normative specifications. The output of those studies is expected to guide Release 21 (or further) in defining actual 6G standard elements.
Key Study Themes and Feature Areas
In Release 20, 3GPP has identified several research topics that span both 5G-Advanced and early 6G thinking. Here are some major ones:
Integrated Sensing & Communication (ISAC)
Release 20 will explore how the radio interface can perform both communication and sensing functions. That involves enabling radio nodes to extract environment data (e.g. object detection, distance measurement) and make that available to network functions.
One thread is how the system can expose sensing output (measurements) to applications or other network modules and integrate it with communication scheduling and beamforming decisions.
Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Enhancement
Support for satellite and aerial nodes has already been introduced in earlier releases (e.g. in 5G). Release 20 will push further, including improving terminal localization (especially where GNSS is unavailable) and enhancing connectivity to satellite systems.
AI / ML Integration
Release 20 aims to expand how AI / machine learning functions can be embedded in network operations, especially in the 5G core and in RAN (radio access). One use is improving model training on user equipment side, enabling on-device learning to assist link adaptation.
The core network enhancements will also consider data collection and model exchange mechanisms to support future 6G intelligence.
Energy Efficiency
Power consumption remains a concern, especially as network densification proceeds. Release 20 will continue work on energy-saving modes, dynamic power management, and smart shutdown / scaling of resources when traffic is low. These enhancements are important for both 5G-Advanced performance and for meeting energy goals in 6G.
Use Cases, Performance Targets, Scenarios
For 6G, Release 20 will accumulate use cases, target performance metrics (data rates, latency, reliability, spatial accuracy, etc.), and draft technological enablers. These serve as a foundation for later normative work.
Backward Interworking / Evolution
A strong design constraint is that any 6G path must coexist or interwork with 5G and future 5G-Advanced systems. Release 20 studies how to maintain compatibility or migration paths.
Also, 5G-Advanced features (especially those from Release 18 / Release 19) will be refined for smoother deployment, lower cost, and more robust behavior.
Anticipated Enhancements in 5G-Advanced via Release 20
While Release 20 carries 6G studies, it is expected to contain enhancements that directly improve current 5G deployments. These include:
- Improved MIMO designs: better beamforming, scalability, and channel reporting
- Enhanced mobility support, especially beam-based handovers across cells
- More efficient uplink/downlink coordination and interference control
- Extended device classes (e.g. RedCap / reduced-complexity devices) with optimized power use and performance
- More advanced positioning and localization support
- Better support for XR (extended reality) and media services, with higher throughput and stability
- More flexible network slicing, with “intent-based” slicing control
- Strengthened support for satellite backhaul and hybrid terrestrial/non-terrestrial deployment
- Focused improvements in energy savings and dynamic power scaling
These kinds of updates help operators get better performance out of their investments and ease the transition toward more advanced networks.
Challenges and Risks
Since Release 20 is acting as a transition layer, it must walk a fine line. Some of the technical risks include:
- Scope creep: Trying to add too many enhancements or too deep 6G features risks delay or inconsistency.
- Complexity management: New features must not overburden legacy processing or lead to prohibitive implementation cost.
- Backward compatibility: Ensuring smooth interoperation with prior 5G deployments (e.g. from Release 15/16/17/18) is nontrivial.
- Resource allocation among study and normative tasks: Some working groups must balance tasks for both 5G-Advanced features and early 6G studies.
- Validation and test complexity: New features like ISAC, AI/ML, NTN integration requires new test methodologies, simulation models, and measurement frameworks.
- Cost vs benefit tradeoffs: Some enhancements may deliver marginal gains at high development or deployment cost; careful selection is needed.
Because Release 20’s 6G part is still exploratory, any early conclusions must be validated and may change in future releases.
Strategic Role of Release 20 in 6G Evolution
Release 20 is positioned to anchor the transition from 5G into 6G in these ways:
- By capturing early 6G requirements and use cases, it gives future releases a clearer target rather than starting from scratch
- It enables incremental introduction of 6G-relevant primitives (e.g. sensing, AI control loops) under a familiar 5G framework
- It lets operators, vendors, and labs test and validate new ideas under controlled evolution instead of wholesale leap
- Release 20’s outputs (studies, gap analyses) will be critical inputs to the ITU’s IMT-2030 planning process and 6G standardization efforts
- It helps maintain momentum and continuity in the research & deployment ecosystem, avoiding a pause or cliff between 5G and 6G
In short, Release 20 is more than a set of specs—it’s a scaffold for a smooth migration into next-generation wireless systems.
About RantCell
RantCell is a software-based mobile network measurement and monitoring solution that transforms regular Android smartphones into test devices for cellular performance evaluation. It supports multi-technology testing including 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G NR.
Through its app and web dashboard, users can execute automated test scenarios to capture KPIs such as RSRP, SINR, RSRQ, throughput, latency, jitter, and call success rate. The data is securely transmitted to the RantCell cloud for post-processing, visualization, and reporting.
The platform eliminates the need for heavy drive test equipment and enables remote testing, benchmarking, and network optimization at scale. It is widely adopted by telecom operators, regulators, and enterprises for network audits and quality monitoring. Also read similar article from here.
