Qualcomm Technologies will showcase advancements in AI and wireless connectivity at MWC 2025 in Barcelona. The company is highlighting interoperable multi-vendor AI in wireless networks and next-generation wireless technologies, drawing from ongoing research and partnerships.
AI in Wireless Networks
Qualcomm Technologies and Nokia Bell Labs are collaborating to demonstrate AI’s role in wireless networks. At MWC 2024, they showcased over-the-air AI-enhanced channel state feedback using a mobile device with Qualcomm’s 5G modem-RF system and a Nokia prototype base station.
The companies developed these models with sequential learning, a method that lets them collaborate without sharing sensitive details. They exchange training datasets of input/output pairs instead.
Their work has since focused on proving this AI approach’s flexibility and scalability. Tests occurred at three sites: an outdoor suburban location and two indoor sites (Indoor Site 1 and Indoor Site 2).
A common AI model, trained on diverse data, matched the performance of site-specific models at the outdoor site and Indoor Site 1. After adapting it with Indoor Site 2 data, the common model’s performance stayed within 1% of the updated version across four spots in that location.
Compared to traditional grid-of-beams feedback (3GPP Type I), AI-based feedback boosted data throughput by 15% to 95% as a mobile user moved through a cell. Sharper beam patterns improved signal strength and reduced interference. Though real-world results may differ, these tests suggest AI outperforms older methods consistently.
This year, the focus shifted to a “decoder-first” sequential learning approach, aligning with 3GPP interests. Nokia designed a decoder model and shared its training data with Qualcomm, which built a matching encoder. This flipped last year’s “encoder-first” method, where Qualcomm led and Nokia followed. Both methods performed similarly, differing by just a few percentage points.
Next-Gen Wireless Connectivity
John Smee, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Qualcomm Technologies, said,
We’re exploring new technology frontiers and breaking barriers to fully enable our vision of intelligent computing everywhere. From 5G Advanced and 6G to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, and beyond, we’re driving foundational advancements to meet tomorrow’s connectivity demands.
Qualcomm’s MWC 2025 showcase covers several areas:
Coverage and Capacity Improvements
Qualcomm is enhancing wireless essentials like coverage and capacity. For coverage, research focuses on low-band spectrum (below 1 GHz and 1-2 GHz) for wide reach, despite limited bandwidth.
With 6G approaching, new air interface designs aim to boost efficiency across all bands. The company is also advancing 5G satellite technology (non-terrestrial networks) to connect remote areas, ensuring seamless transitions from urban to rural zones.
For capacity, Qualcomm is evolving MIMO systems for the upper midband (7-15 GHz), called “FR3.” This band provides about 400 MHz of new bandwidth. Tests of the FR3 Giga-MIMO system showed strong throughput and coverage comparable to sub-7 GHz bands. In data centers, mmWave (24 GHz+) and sub-THz (100 GHz+) spectrum could add capacity for cloud computing needs.
AI and System Efficiency
AI is key to Qualcomm’s 6G vision, aiming for networks that adapt in real time to traffic, mobility, and interference. This builds on 5G Advanced work with Nokia Bell Labs and Rohde & Schwarz on AI-enhanced channel state feedback. Tests show AI delivers gains even without site-specific training, though localized models can enhance performance further.
Digital twins—virtual network models—also contribute. Qualcomm’s O-RAN-based solution uses a digital twin and AI to manage network slicing for low-latency apps, predicting KPIs accurately. Another demo explores analog beamforming in massive MIMO, offering user-aware and dynamic beam options for better responsiveness.
New Wireless Services
Qualcomm is expanding connectivity to new devices and uses. For immersive communication, extended reality (XR) relies on distributed computing and low-latency wireless links, developed with industry partners. Integrated sensing, using RF to detect objects, improves communications by mapping environments and saving device power. It also enables drone tracking for system monitoring.
What’s Ahead
Qualcomm views 2025 as a pivotal year, with 6G standardization beginning. After MWC, the company will attend the 3GPP 6G RAN Plenary Workshop in Seoul. These efforts aim to shape the future of wireless technology.
Qualcomm at MWC Barcelona 2025
Qualcomm invites all attendees of MWC 2025 to visit them at the event, happening March 3-6, 2025, at Fira Gran Via, Booth #3E10, Hall 3.