European Collaboration Targets 6G-Era Video Standards

Ericsson, Nokia, and Fraunhofer HHI propose a new codec with higher compression and lower complexity.

Three major European technology institutions—Ericsson, Nokia, and Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI)—have joined forces to advance video coding standards for the upcoming 6G era. Their collaboration marks the first time these organizations have combined expertise to address the growing demands of immersive media and mobile video. A jointly developed proof-of-concept codec demonstrates significantly improved compression efficiency compared to current standards, including H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, and H.266/VVC. The design also emphasizes energy efficiency and scalability without increasing computational complexity.

Standardization and Evaluation Milestones

The proposed codec has been submitted to two key oversight bodies: the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). Both organizations provided positive evaluations, suggesting the concept meets early requirements for future standardization. This milestone initiates the formal process toward defining the next global video coding standard. The new specification is expected to be finalized and operational between 2029 and 2030, aligning with projected 6G network deployment.

Until then, existing standards like VVC will continue to support high-efficiency streaming and immersive formats across various platforms. The upcoming codec aims to serve a broader range of applications, including mobile communication, low-latency streaming, and machine-readable content. Use cases span professional and user-generated media, gaming, 3D environments, and industrial video systems. These developments reflect the increasing importance of video technologies in digital infrastructure.

Strategic Goals and European Leadership

The partnership seeks to reinforce Europe’s role in shaping next-generation media standards. Researchers from the three organizations emphasize the importance of early involvement in the standardization process to influence long-term outcomes. Ericsson’s Magnus Frodigh highlighted the strategic value of combining regional expertise to drive innovation in 6G capabilities. Nokia’s Ville-Veikko Mattila noted the company’s longstanding contributions to video codec development and its commitment to openness and sustainability.

Fraunhofer HHI’s Thomas Wiegand underscored the central role of video in future digital experiences and praised the collaboration’s alignment with broader research efforts. The initiative builds on the work of the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), which continues to explore advanced coding techniques. By pooling resources and knowledge, the partners aim to deliver a codec that balances performance, adaptability, and efficiency. Their efforts signal a proactive approach to meeting the evolving demands of global media consumption.