Samsung and LG Uplus partner to turn cell towers into sensors for 6G networks

Samsung, LG Uplus to test 6G sensing that replaces radar

The two South Korean companies will test integrated sensing and communication technology on existing 5G networks and in the 7 GHz band, aiming to replace dedicated LiDAR and radar with signals from ordinary base stations Samsung Electronics and LG Uplus signed a memorandum of understanding on 27 May to jointly develop Integrated Sensing and Communication, or ISAC, a technology that would allow mobile network base stations to double as environmental sensors. The agreement was signed at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul, with Samsung Research, the advanced R&D division within Samsung's Device eXperience unit, leading the development effort. ISAC works by analysing wireless signals as they reflect off nearby objects, extracting information about an object's speed, distance, and direction of movement. In practical terms, it means a cell tower could detect a drone, track a vehicle, or monitor foot traffic without any dedicated sensing hardware. The technology uses the same signals that already carry voice and data, turning existing communications infrastructure into a sensing platform. Why it matters Environmental sensing today relies on dedicated equipment. LiDAR systems use laser light to measure distance, while radar uses radio waves. Both require separate hardware that must be installed, powered, and maintained independently of the communications network. ISAC eliminates that requirement by piggybacking sensing on the wireless infrastructure that mobile operators have already built. The International Telecommunication Union's Radiocommunication Sector, which sets the global framework for mobile standards, has designated ISAC as one of six usage scenarios for IMT-2030, the formal name for 6G. It sits alongside immersive communication, hyper-reliable low-latency communication, massive communication, ubiquitous connectivity, and AI-integrated communication. The inclusion signals that 6G networks are being designed from the outset to sense the physical world, not just move data through it. What they will test The collaboration will initially focus on human detection for safety applications and on improving network operational efficiency. The two companies plan to validate ISAC performance on LG Uplus's existing 5G networks first, then move to the 7 GHz band, a candidate frequency for 6G that offers a balance between the wide coverage of lower bands and the high bandwidth of millimetre-wave spectrum. Over time the partnership will combine ISAC-generated wireless data, including location, speed, and density information, with camera imagery to improve detection accuracy. That work will involve developing multimodal AI models that integrate and analyse diverse forms of sensing data. Samsung Research will handle core ISAC and AI technology development, while LG Uplus will provide data and field-testing infrastructure from its commercial network. The spectrum race behind 6G The 7 GHz band is increasingly described as the "golden band" for 6G because it offers enough bandwidth for high-speed data while still propagating far enough for practical coverage. South Korea is actively exploring the 7.125 to 8.4 GHz range as a primary 6G candidate. The World Radiocommunication Conference in 2023 identified portions of the 6.425 to 7.125 GHz band for mobile use in several regions, and the 7.125 to 8.4 GHz range is on the agenda for WRC-27. In the United States, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration must complete its study of the 7.125 to 7.4 GHz band by the end of 2026 before it can be opened to commercial wireless. Europe is pursuing the upper 6 GHz range. The allocation decisions at WRC-27 will largely determine which countries have the spectrum to deploy 6G at scale and which do not. For South Korea, whose economy is deeply exposed to shifts in global tech supply chains, securing early 6G spectrum and standards influence is a strategic priority. Samsung's 6G positioning Samsung has been building its 6G credentials methodically. The company published a 6G white paper outlining its vision for AI-native and sustainable communications, demonstrated 6G technologies alongside global partners at the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit in November 2025, and showcased AI-RAN capabilities at Mobile World Congress in March 2026. The ISAC collaboration with LG Uplus extends that work from lab demonstrations to field validation on a live commercial network. The partnership pairs Samsung's research capabilities with LG Uplus's operational infrastructure, a combination that matters because ISAC performance in controlled environments may differ significantly from real-world networks with interference, building reflections, and variable traffic loads. Samsung's broader ambitions in AI and semiconductor manufacturing give it a vertically integrated stake in 6G infrastructure that few competitors can match. Commercial 6G deployment is not expected until the early 2030s, and ISAC will need to clear both technical and regulatory hurdles before it replaces dedicated sensing equipment at scale. But the technology represents a genuine shift in what a wireless network can do, and Samsung and LG Uplus are now testing whether the physics holds up outside the lab.

Samsung Electronics and LG Uplus Collaborate on ISAC Technology for 6G

Samsung Electronics and LG Uplus signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly research Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology at LG Science Park in Magok, Seoul, on May 27. Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub within Samsung's Device eXperience (DX) Division, will lead development efforts aimed at securing core technologies for the 6G era. Wireless Sensing With Existing Networks ISAC technology leverages existing communications infrastructure to collect information about surrounding environments without the need for dedicated equipment. By analyzing wireless signals transmitted by base stations and other network devices as they reflect off nearby objects, ISAC can detect an object's speed, distance and direction of movement. Traditionally, environmental sensing required dedicated equipment such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) or radio detection and ranging (radar) sensors. ISAC, however, enables sensing using existing communications infrastructure including cellular and Wi-Fi networks. The International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), a global telecommunications standards body, has designated ISAC as one of the three key usage scenarios for 6G. Improving Safety and Operational Efficiency ISAC technology is gaining industry attention for its wide range of applications across indoor and outdoor environments, from everyday settings to industrial sites. It can detect human movement in safety-related situations, track drones and robots, and monitor traffic congestion and weather changes. By leveraging wireless signals, ISAC can identify objects beyond a camera's field of view and in low-light or nighttime conditions. These capabilities could enable new services that improve safety, efficiency and productivity in consumer and industrial sectors. Real-World Testing and Multimodal AI Development To explore these possibilities, the two companies plan to identify ISAC-based use cases and validate the technology's performance on existing 5G networks and in the 7 GHz band -- a candidate frequency for 6G -- to assess the feasibility of real-world deployment. Initially, the collaboration will focus on enhancing everyday safety through human detection and improving network operational efficiency. Over time, the companies plan to expand the research by combining ISAC-generated wireless data -- such as location, speed and density information -- with camera imagery to further improve detection accuracy. To support these efforts, they will also develop multimodal AI technologies that integrate and analyze diverse forms of sensing data -- including images, audio and video. Under the partnership, Samsung Research will develop core ISAC and AI-driven 6G technologies, while LG Uplus will lead validation including data provision and field-testing infrastructure setup, based on its extensive experience in mobile network operations. "ISAC is a core technology that transforms communications networks into sensing platforms, enabling users, network operators and industries to experience the full value of 6G," said JinGuk Jeong, Executive Vice President and Head of the Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC), Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics. "Through our collaboration with LG Uplus, we will validate the potential of 6G services across a range of real-world environments and continue advancing key 6G technologies." "In the 6G era, it will be increasingly important to verify how research technologies perform in real-world communication networks," said Sangyeob Lee, CTO and Senior Vice President at LG Uplus. "Through our collaboration with Samsung Research, we aim to validate these technologies from a mobile network operator's perspective and steadily strengthen our capabilities for future communication technologies." Following the publication of its 6G white paper outlining the company's vision for next-generation communications, Samsung has continued strengthening its 6G industry collaboration, including joint technology demonstrations with its global partners at the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit in November 2025 and the AI-RAN Alliance at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in March 2026. Moving forward, the company will continue advancing core 6G technologies to enable safer, smarter and more efficient everyday experiences.

LG Uplus, Samsung join forces on 6G sensing technology - The Korea Times

Lee Sang-yeob, left, chief technology officer of LG Uplus, and Chung Jin-guk, head of the Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Research, hold up a memorandum of understanding at LG Science Park in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of LG Uplus LG Uplus and Samsung Electronics are joining forces to test technologies that could redefine what mobile networks do in the 6G era, turning communications infrastructure into systems capable of sensing and interpreting the physical world around them. LG Uplus said Friday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung Electronics to jointly research integrated sensing and communication technology (ISAC), along with artificial intelligence (AI)-linked 6G applications. The partnership brings together Samsung Research, Samsung Electronics' advanced research and development division, and LG Uplus' commercial network operation capabilities to test whether next-generation technologies developed in laboratories can function reliably in real-world telecommunications environments. The companies said the collaboration would focus on base station-based sensing technologies and AI-connected 6G systems, with the longer-term goal of contributing to future 6G standards and new commercial services. ISAC technology allows telecommunications infrastructure, including mobile base stations, to function as sensors capable of recognizing surrounding environments while simultaneously transmitting data. The technology has emerged as one of the most closely watched concepts in the race toward 6G commercialization because it could expand networks beyond communications into areas such as mobility, safety and smart infrastructure. LG Uplus previously identified ISAC as a core pillar of future 6G networks in a white paper released last year. Lee Sang-yeob, chief technology officer and executive vice president at LG Uplus, said the effectiveness of future communications technologies would depend on how successfully they operate in live network environments. "Through cooperation with Samsung Research, we will verify and test technologies from the perspective of a telecommunications operator and steadily strengthen our competitiveness in future communications technologies," Lee said. Chung Jin-guk, head of Samsung Research's Advanced Communications Research Center, said ISAC would help users and industries better experience the value of 6G services. This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.