{
  "meta": {
    "schema_version": "1.0.0",
    "generated": "2026-06-15",
    "disclaimer": "There are no normative 6G specifications yet. As of mid-2026 3GPP 6G is in the study phase; the first 6G specifications are expected in Release 21 (~2029). Every fact below is classified requirement / candidate / foundation and carries a source. Nothing here is a 6G 'spec value'.",
    "baseline_note": "Baseline verified against live sources on 2026-06-15. 3gpp.org pages are cited as canonical even where they block automated fetching; figures were cross-checked against ITU-R and reputable secondary sources."
  },

  "releases": [
    {
      "id": "Rel-20",
      "name": "Release 20",
      "status": "in_progress",
      "summary": "Dual-track release: continues 5G-Advanced (Rel-20_5GA) while opening the first 6G study track (Rel-20_6G). 6G work in Rel-20 is study-only — scenarios, requirements and technology investigation — not normative specification.",
      "tracks": ["5G-Advanced (Rel-20_5GA)", "Early 6G study (Rel-20_6G)"],
      "milestones": [
        { "label": "TR 22.870 (Stage-1 6G use cases) approved at TSG SA#111, Fukuoka", "date": "2026-03", "status": "complete", "classification": "requirement", "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/fukuoka-tsg111", "source_date": "2026-03-13" },
        { "label": "TR 38.914 (6G scenarios & requirements) targeted for RAN approval", "date": "~2026-06", "status": "expected", "classification": "requirement", "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/ran-6g-study1", "source_date": "2026-03-01" }
      ],
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/specifications-technologies/releases/release-20",
      "source_date": "2026-06-15",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "id": "Rel-21",
      "name": "Release 21",
      "status": "planned",
      "summary": "Expected to carry the first normative 6G specifications. The Rel-21 timeline is expected to be finalized around mid-2026; an ASN.1/OpenAPI freeze is projected around 2029, with commercial 6G generally expected ~2030. All dates are expectations, not committed 3GPP freeze dates.",
      "tracks": ["6G normative (first 6G specifications)"],
      "milestones": [
        { "label": "Rel-21 timeline expected to be finalized", "date": "~2026-06", "status": "expected", "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/specifications-technologies/releases/release-21", "source_date": "2026-06-15" },
        { "label": "Projected ASN.1/OpenAPI freeze (first 6G specs)", "date": "~2029-03", "status": "expected", "source_url": "https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2025/06/3gpp-release-20-completing-5g-advanced-evolution-preparing-for-global-6g-standardization", "source_date": "2025-06" }
      ],
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/specifications-technologies/releases/release-21",
      "source_date": "2026-06-15",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    }
  ],

  "items": [
    {
      "id": "TR 22.870",
      "doc_id": "TR 22.870",
      "title": "Study on 6G Use Cases and Service Requirements (Stage 1)",
      "type": "tr",
      "classification": "requirement",
      "working_groups": ["SA1"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["vision-requirements", "ntn", "isac"],
      "completion": 100,
      "status": "approved",
      "status_label": "Approved — TSG SA#111 (Fukuoka, Mar 2026)",
      "notes": "Stage-1 study (~590 pages). Broad and exploratory: immersive communication, hyper-reliable low-latency, more massive IoT, ubiquitous connectivity, AI/ML services, and ISAC. Acts as the Stage-1 anchor for Rel-21 normative work.",
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/fukuoka-tsg111",
      "source_date": "2026-03-13",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "id": "TR 38.914",
      "doc_id": "TR 38.914",
      "title": "Study on 6G Scenarios and Requirements",
      "type": "tr",
      "classification": "requirement",
      "working_groups": ["RAN", "RAN1"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["vision-requirements", "radio-phy", "spectrum"],
      "completion": 60,
      "status": "in_progress",
      "status_label": "~60% complete (Mar 2026); approval targeted ~Jun 2026",
      "notes": "High-level scenarios and requirements for 6G Radio; guides 3GPP RAN working groups and is an initial input to ITU-R IMT-2030. Covers deployment scenarios (dense urban, industrial, high mobility, NTN), KPIs, spectrum, device types and 5G-to-6G migration.",
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/ran-6g-study1",
      "source_date": "2026-03-01",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "id": "ITU-R M.2160",
      "doc_id": "ITU-R M.2160-0",
      "title": "Framework and overall objectives of the future development of IMT for 2030 and beyond (IMT-2030)",
      "type": "recommendation",
      "classification": "requirement",
      "working_groups": ["ITU-R WP 5D"],
      "release": "ITU-R",
      "domains": ["vision-requirements"],
      "completion": 100,
      "status": "approved",
      "status_label": "Approved (2023) — the 'IMT-2030 Framework'",
      "notes": "Defines six usage scenarios and 15 capabilities (≈9 with example numeric targets). Numbers in M.2160 are framework example targets, not minimum requirements.",
      "source_url": "https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rsg5/rwp5d/imt-2030/pages/default.aspx",
      "source_date": "2023-11",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "id": "IMT-2030 TPR",
      "doc_id": "IMT-2030 minimum technical performance requirements (draft)",
      "title": "IMT-2030 Minimum Technical Performance Requirements & Evaluation Methodology",
      "type": "recommendation",
      "classification": "requirement",
      "working_groups": ["ITU-R WP 5D"],
      "release": "ITU-R",
      "domains": ["vision-requirements"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "draft",
      "status_label": "Draft adopted by WP 5D (Feb 2026); SG5 approval scheduled ~Dec 2026",
      "notes": "The binding minimum performance numbers for 6G evaluation. Draft values remain restricted to ITU-R members until approval, so no minimum-requirement numbers are published here.",
      "source_url": "https://www.itu.int/hub/2026/03/imt-2030-technical-requirements-for-the-6g-future/",
      "source_date": "2026-03",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6GR",
      "doc_id": "RP-251881",
      "title": "Study on 6G Radio (6GR)",
      "type": "study_item",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN1", "RAN"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["radio-phy"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Study Item underway in RAN",
      "notes": "Investigates the 6G radio physical layer: waveform, frame structure, numerology for wider bandwidths, channel coding direction, and initial access. Plenary doc ID per secondary catalog; treat as indicative until confirmed on the 3GPP portal.",
      "source_url": "https://wirelessbrew.com/6g/6G-Study-Items-Rel-20/",
      "source_date": "2026-03",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-waveform",
      "doc_id": "RAN1 working assumption",
      "title": "6G baseline waveform: CP-OFDM and DFT-s-OFDM",
      "type": "agreement",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN1"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["radio-phy"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "agreed",
      "status_label": "RAN1 working assumption (study phase)",
      "notes": "RAN1 has agreed to use CP-OFDM and DFT-s-OFDM as the baseline/benchmark waveform for 6G, while leaving the door open to enhancements. This is a study-phase working assumption, not a frozen specification. Reported via secondary sources.",
      "source_url": "https://the-mobile-network.com/2025/08/6g-meeting-settles-on-same-old-air-interface/",
      "source_date": "2025-08",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-spectrum-fr3",
      "doc_id": "FR3 / upper mid-band",
      "title": "Upper mid-band (FR3, 7.125–24.25 GHz) and cmWave (7–15 GHz)",
      "type": "spectrum",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN4", "ITU-R"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["spectrum"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Leading initial-6G band under study",
      "notes": "The 7–15 GHz cmWave range within FR3 is widely seen as the leading candidate for initial 6G coverage-plus-capacity deployments, complementing FR1 (coverage) and FR2 (bandwidth).",
      "source_url": "https://www.nokia.com/6g/6g-mid-band-spectrum-technology-explained/",
      "source_date": "2026-01",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-spectrum-wrc27",
      "doc_id": "WRC-27 AI 1.2 / Res. 256",
      "title": "WRC-27 IMT/6G spectrum studies",
      "type": "spectrum",
      "classification": "requirement",
      "working_groups": ["ITU-R"],
      "release": "ITU-R",
      "domains": ["spectrum"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Under study for WRC-27",
      "notes": "WRC-23 (Resolution 256) set WRC-27 agenda item 1.2 to study new IMT bands including ranges around 4.4–4.8 GHz, 7.125–8.4 GHz and 14.8–15.35 GHz, with regional candidates such as 6.425–7.125 GHz and 10–10.5 GHz.",
      "source_url": "https://www.ericsson.com/en/6g/spectrum",
      "source_date": "2026-01",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-subthz",
      "doc_id": "Sub-THz (100–300 GHz)",
      "title": "Sub-THz spectrum (100–300 GHz)",
      "type": "spectrum",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["spectrum"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Later-phase 6G candidate",
      "notes": "Sub-THz bands offer very large bandwidth but severe propagation limits; widely framed as a later-phase 6G target (closer to 2035+) rather than initial 2030 deployment.",
      "source_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2406.18391",
      "source_date": "2024-06",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-ai-air",
      "doc_id": "AI/ML for Air Interface (6G)",
      "title": "AI/ML-native air interface (CSI, beam management, two-sided models)",
      "type": "study_item",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN1"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["ai-air-interface"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Study direction carried from Rel-18/19 AI/ML",
      "notes": "Builds on the Rel-18 study (TR 38.843) and Rel-19 work on AI/ML for the air interface — CSI feedback/compression, beam management, positioning, and two-sided models — toward an AI-native 6G design. The degree of AI-native design in 6G is still under study.",
      "source_url": "https://wirelessbrew.com/6g/6G-Study-Items-Rel-20/",
      "source_date": "2026-03",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-isac",
      "doc_id": "ISAC (6G)",
      "title": "Integrated Sensing and Communication",
      "type": "study_item",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN1", "SA1"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["isac"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Use case agreed (IMT-2030/TR 22.870); RAN design under study",
      "notes": "ISAC is one of the six IMT-2030 usage scenarios (requirement) and appears in TR 22.870. The RAN realization — waveform reuse, monostatic/bistatic modes, architecture — is a candidate still under study.",
      "source_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2508.13736",
      "source_date": "2025-08",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-ris",
      "doc_id": "RIS",
      "title": "Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces",
      "type": "study_item",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["RAN1"],
      "release": "Rel-19",
      "domains": ["ris"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Studied in Rel-19; candidate 6G enabler",
      "notes": "RIS (smart reflecting surfaces to shape propagation) was studied in 3GPP Rel-19 and is a candidate 6G deployment enabler. No normative 6G RIS specification exists.",
      "source_url": "https://www.ericsson.com/en/6g",
      "source_date": "2026-01",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "TR 23.801",
      "doc_id": "TR 23.801",
      "title": "Study on Architecture for the 6G System",
      "type": "tr",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["SA2"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["core-architecture"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Architecture study underway in SA2",
      "notes": "Investigates the 6G system architecture: a service-based, intent-driven core, an AI-native control plane and NTN/terrestrial convergence. Document number per secondary catalog; treat as indicative until confirmed on the 3GPP portal.",
      "source_url": "https://wirelessbrew.com/6g/6G-Study-Items-Rel-20/",
      "source_date": "2026-03",
      "source_tier": "secondary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-ntn",
      "doc_id": "NTN / Ubiquitous Connectivity",
      "title": "Non-Terrestrial Networks & ubiquitous connectivity",
      "type": "study_item",
      "classification": "requirement",
      "working_groups": ["RAN", "SA1", "SA2"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["ntn"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Usage scenario agreed; 6G integration under study",
      "notes": "Ubiquitous connectivity is an IMT-2030 usage scenario (requirement) and NTN appears across TR 22.870 and TR 38.914 deployment scenarios. Native terrestrial/NTN convergence in the 6G core and radio is a candidate under study.",
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/ran-6g-study1",
      "source_date": "2026-03-01",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "id": "6G-security",
      "doc_id": "6G security / quantum-era",
      "title": "Security, resilience & quantum-era considerations",
      "type": "study_item",
      "classification": "candidate",
      "working_groups": ["SA3"],
      "release": "Rel-20",
      "domains": ["security"],
      "completion": null,
      "status": "study",
      "status_label": "Direction-setting; no 6G security specs yet",
      "notes": "ITU-R M.2160 lists security and resilience as a (qualitative) capability. Post-quantum cryptography migration and AI-era threat models are active research themes; concrete 6G security specification is future Rel-21+ work.",
      "source_url": "https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/study-groups/rsg5/rwp5d/imt-2030/pages/default.aspx",
      "source_date": "2023-11",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    }
  ],

  "domains": [
    { "id": "vision-requirements", "name": "6G Vision & Requirements", "short": "Vision", "page": "6g/vision-requirements.html", "summary": "IMT-2030 usage scenarios and capabilities; the 3GPP Stage-1 (TR 22.870) and RAN (TR 38.914) requirement studies.", "items": ["ITU-R M.2160", "IMT-2030 TPR", "TR 22.870", "TR 38.914"] },
    { "id": "radio-phy", "name": "6G Radio (6GR) Physical Layer", "short": "Radio / PHY", "page": "6g/radio-physical-layer.html", "summary": "Waveform and numerology candidates, a unified 5G/6G frame structure, channel coding direction, and initial access.", "items": ["6GR", "6G-waveform", "TR 38.914"] },
    { "id": "spectrum", "name": "6G Spectrum", "short": "Spectrum", "page": "6g/spectrum.html", "summary": "Upper mid-band (FR3) and cmWave, sub-THz, and the WRC-27 spectrum agenda.", "items": ["6G-spectrum-fr3", "6G-spectrum-wrc27", "6G-subthz"] },
    { "id": "ai-air-interface", "name": "AI/ML-Native Air Interface", "short": "AI air interface", "page": "6g/ai-native-air-interface.html", "summary": "Machine learning built into the radio: CSI feedback, beam management, positioning and two-sided models.", "items": ["6G-ai-air"] },
    { "id": "isac", "name": "Integrated Sensing & Communication", "short": "ISAC", "page": "6g/isac.html", "summary": "Using the network as a radar: sensing modes, waveform reuse and use cases.", "items": ["6G-isac"] },
    { "id": "ris", "name": "Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces", "short": "RIS", "page": "6g/ris.html", "summary": "Programmable surfaces that reshape the propagation environment.", "items": ["6G-ris"] },
    { "id": "ntn", "name": "Non-Terrestrial Networks", "short": "NTN", "page": "6g/ntn.html", "summary": "Satellite and aerial integration toward ubiquitous connectivity.", "items": ["6G-ntn"] },
    { "id": "core-architecture", "name": "6G Core & Architecture", "short": "Core", "page": "6g/core-architecture.html", "summary": "A service-based, intent-driven, AI-native 6G core and terrestrial/NTN convergence.", "items": ["TR 23.801"] },
    { "id": "security", "name": "Security & Quantum-Era", "short": "Security", "page": "6g/security.html", "summary": "Resilience, the AI-era threat model, and post-quantum cryptography migration.", "items": ["6G-security"] }
  ],

  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-06-15",
      "type": "init",
      "summary": "Initial 6G tracker baseline established from verified primary (3GPP, ITU-R) and labelled secondary sources.",
      "items": ["TR 22.870", "TR 38.914", "ITU-R M.2160", "IMT-2030 TPR", "6GR", "6G-waveform", "6G-spectrum-fr3", "6G-spectrum-wrc27", "6G-subthz", "6G-ai-air", "6G-isac", "6G-ris", "TR 23.801", "6G-ntn", "6G-security"],
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/specifications-technologies/releases/release-20",
      "source_date": "2026-06-15",
      "source_tier": "manual"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-06-15",
      "type": "status",
      "summary": "TR 22.870 (Stage-1 6G use cases) recorded as approved at TSG SA#111 (Fukuoka, March 2026).",
      "items": ["TR 22.870"],
      "field": "status",
      "from": null,
      "to": "approved",
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/fukuoka-tsg111",
      "source_date": "2026-03-13",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-06-15",
      "type": "status",
      "summary": "TR 38.914 (6G scenarios & requirements) recorded at ~60% complete (March 2026), approval targeted ~June 2026.",
      "items": ["TR 38.914"],
      "field": "completion",
      "from": null,
      "to": 60,
      "source_url": "https://www.3gpp.org/news-events/3gpp-news/ran-6g-study1",
      "source_date": "2026-03-01",
      "source_tier": "primary"
    }
  ]
}