Analyst(s): Ron Westfall
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
T-Mobile has expanded its AI-RAN Innovation Center efforts with NVIDIA to co-develop an AI-native wireless network stack for 6G. The expanded partnership includes MITRE, Cisco, ODC, and Booz Allen Hamilton, each contributing to the AI-based architecture built on the NVIDIA AI Aerial platform.
The initiative aims to embed AI across the network stack – from radio signal processing to orchestration – to boost spectral efficiency, reduce operational complexity, and enable scalable, secure, next-gen wireless networks.
What is Covered in this Article:
- T-Mobile extends its AI-Radio Access Network (AI-RAN) Innovation Center collaboration with NVIDIA to target 6G.
- AI is embedded to improve spectral efficiency, real-time processing, and cost structures.
- The partnership aims to move from concept to commercially deployable 6G architecture.
- The project will develop a unified, AI-native wireless network stack using NVIDIA’s AI Aerial platform.
- MITRE, Cisco, ODC, and Booz Allen Hamilton join to support key aspects of R&D, infrastructure, and security.
The News: At GTC 2025, NVIDIA unveiled a significant step forward in its partnership with T-Mobile, announcing the expansion of its AI-RAN Innovation Center. The joint effort is now focused on pioneering AI-native 6G network capabilities. This next chapter brings in key collaborators such as MITRE, Cisco, ODC, and Booz Allen Hamilton to help shape a next-generation wireless network stack built on NVIDIA’s AI Aerial platform.
The goal is to integrate AI more deeply across the network layers – from software-defined RANs to orchestration and signal processing – ultimately enabling wireless systems that are more efficient, scalable, and secure.
GTC25: T-Mobile NVIDIA Prep 6G Blueprint for AI-Native Wireless Networks
Analyst Take: T-Mobile’s move to deepen its collaboration with NVIDIA signals a major leap forward in its 6G roadmap. It’s not just aligning with cutting-edge technology – it’s actively redefining how wireless networks will be architected and operated in the AI era.
T-Mobile Leads the Charge in AI-Native 6G Design
The company has gone beyond early-stage trials and is now directly influencing the structural underpinnings of AI-native 6G. By reinforcing its collaboration with NVIDIA, T-Mobile is embedding AI throughout the network stack – targeting gains in performance, spectrum efficiency, and long-term scalability. A software-defined, AI-native network stack is central to this evolution, driven by NVIDIA’s AI Aerial platform, which consolidates RAN and AI workloads onto a single high-performance infrastructure.
T-Mobile’s expanded efforts include researching advanced 6G use cases such as integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), dynamic spectrum sharing, and agentic network orchestration. These features require a ground-up redesign of wireless networks with AI embedded from inception.
Unlike conventional telecom strategies that bolt on AI as an enhancement, T-Mobile is laying the groundwork for a network where AI is integral – shaping the network DNA from signal processing all the way to orchestration and cybersecurity. This unified approach enables smarter spectrum use, optimized energy consumption, and more agile infrastructure that supports billions of devices – and future-facing applications like autonomous transport and immersive AR/VR.
As a result, I expect that T-Mobile will gain a valuable mindshare edge, particularly in relation to main rivals AT&T and Verizon, in the nascent planning stage of 6G. By leveraging NVIDIA’s expertise in accelerated computing and T-Mobile’s track record in delivering breakthrough mobile network innovations, this partnership positions both companies at the forefront of developing transformative technologies for the 6G era.
AI-Native Stack Designed for Flexibility and Ecosystem Expansion
The AI-native network stack is being developed with a flexible, open architecture that encourages innovation and end-to-end security. Although major RAN manufacturers such as Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung are not yet part of the project, NVIDIA emphasized its goal to “democratize the AI-native wireless technology,” opening the door to a broad, dynamic innovation ecosystem.
This initiative fits into NVIDIA’s wider AI-RAN and 6G research efforts, which are supported by tools such as the Aerial Omniverse Digital Twin Service, the Sionna Research Kit, and the Aerial Commercial Test Bed. These platforms support over 2,000 developers within NVIDIA’s 6G Developer Program – including more than 150 global research institutions – collectively accelerating development in the field.
The collaboration focuses on developing an AI-native wireless network stack for 6G refreshing and is also motivated by the challenges related to integrating AI at scale across 5G networks. Within 5G environments, the implementation of AI in AI-RAN can present significant energy and business case concerns. While AI-RAN aims to improve energy efficiency, there are notable challenges, such as introducing GPUs and AI accelerators into baseband units and increasing power consumption, which can be limited, especially in regions with high energy costs alongside stringent regulatory net zero objectives. As such, any increase in energy needed to implement AI should be more than offset by the decrease in energy consumption AI delivers.
Moreover, the economic viability of AI-RAN remains a key concern for communication service providers (CSPs). Implementing AI-RAN infrastructure can entail huge investments in high-performance computing hardware. In conversations from MWC25, deploying AI-driven RAN baseband processing can inject up to a threefold cost increase in relation to conventional RAN deployment. I find that many CSPs indicate there is no credible economic case unless the cost of underlying processor technology is significantly decreased.
On the other hand, the alliance has ample runway to address these energy efficiency and business case issues since the ecosystem-wide deployment of 6G will not begin in earnest until after 2030. Why? One important factor is that the silicon required to unleash 6G deployments has not yet been developed, which means ecosystem-wide 6G deployments by 2030 appear unrealistic.
Strategic Inclusion of US Partners Reinforces National Technology Sovereignty
T-Mobile’s focus on US-based collaborators – MITRE, Cisco, ODC, and Booz Allen Hamilton – reflects a deliberate push toward domestically led telecom innovation. Each organization adds a unique strength: MITRE offers research into agentic orchestration and spectrum dynamics; Cisco contributes its mobile core expertise; ODC develops virtualized RAN software; and Booz Allen oversees security testing and AI algorithm validation.
Together, they form a coordinated alliance that advances not just T-Mobile’s technical ambitions but also the broader national interest in securing leadership in AI-native 6G infrastructure amid intensifying global competition in telecom standards.
To Sum Up
With this expanded partnership, T-Mobile is asserting itself as a key player in shaping the future of wireless communication. By embedding AI at the foundation of its 6G network design and partnering with top-tier US institutions, it’s laying the groundwork for a next-generation infrastructure – secure, scalable, and ready to power tomorrow’s most advanced applications.
What to Watch:
- Building an AI-native 6G stack will require extensive planning, integration, and coordination across partners.
- T-Mobile and collaborators must address challenges around interoperability, latency, and scalability.
- The network must meet telecom-grade standards for reliability, security, and performance.
- Successful execution could influence global 6G architecture and drive wider industry adoption.
See the complete press release on the AI-native 6G collaboration between T-Mobile, NVIDIA, and partners on the NVIDIA website.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
T-Mobile Starlink, New Nokia CEO & Qualcomm Results – Six Five Webcast: The 5G Factor
T-Mobile Q4 FY 2024: Sustained Growth and 5G Leadership
AI Rules at 5G Americas; T-Mobile, Verizon, Nokia Make Key Moves – Six Five Webcast: The 5G Factor
Author Information
Ron is an experienced, customer-focused research expert and analyst, with over 20 years of experience in the digital and IT transformation markets, working with businesses to drive consistent revenue and sales growth.
He is a recognized authority at tracking the evolution of and identifying the key disruptive trends within the service enablement ecosystem, including a wide range of topics across software and services, infrastructure, 5G communications, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), analytics, security, cloud computing, revenue management, and regulatory issues.
Prior to his work with The Futurum Group, Ron worked with GlobalData Technology creating syndicated and custom research across a wide variety of technical fields. His work with Current Analysis focused on the broadband and service provider infrastructure markets.
Ron holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from University of Nevada — Las Vegas and a Bachelor of Arts in political science/government from William and Mary.
