A body charged with pushing 6G-related developments in the European Union selected a quintet of projects to share €22 million in its latest funding award, including undertakings on connected devices and improving data for AI-native networks.

The European Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) explained the initiatives selected were intended to help address key needs for the next phase of 6G development.

Its aim with the newly-backed projects is to help researchers and businesses in the region advance promising technologies to large-scale tests and real-world adoption.

The partly EU-funded organisation noted now was a “crucial point for Europe’s 6G ambitions” given intensified global competition in next-generation communications.

Those chosen this time around are 6G-AID, Hemes-6G, EUnicon-6G, EU-India-6G-Bridge and SNS Impact.

6G-AID is focused on building a European data foundation for AI-native 6G networks; Hemes-6G will bring together eight testbeds across the EU on a shared platform for larger-scale work; EUnicon-6G seeks to identify opportunities for connected devices outside of smartphones; as the name suggests EU-India-6G-Bridge deepens collaboration with India; and SNS Impact is set to support cross-project collaboration.

Executive director of the SNS JU, Erzsebet Fitori, said for industry the projects would mean: “better access to the data, testbeds, technologies and partnerships needed to turn 6G research into products and services” while for citizens it helped “the foundations for more secure, reliable and capable connectivity in the years ahead”.

“These proposals are about making sure that Europe helps shape the technologies and standards that will define the future.”

The five selected come from the organisation’s sixth call for proposals which closed earlier this year.

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Nokia CEO Justin Hotard (pictured) pointed to a boom in sales for its AI and cloud products during Q3, as he asserted the vendor is in a strong position to take advantage of growing demand for related infrastructure.

AI and cloud sales were up 123% year-on-year, with €1.5 billion of new orders placed in the quarter.

Hotard reported there is also an order backlog, positioning it for further growth in the area.

“Nokia’s strengths are uniquely suited to meet growing demands for AI infrastructure that is larger, more distributed and hyperconnected,” he added. “We are investing where we can differentiate and co-innovate with hyperscalers”.

Hotard highlighted progress on AI-RAN, which was the subject of an update yesterday (21 October) made at an event held by the Finnish vendor’s partner and investor Nvidia.

“AI-native networks are moving into the physical world and our AI-RAN platform is being developed to deliver the performance needed for this market,” Hotard said.

Gains
Nokia booked net profit of €156 million in Q3, up 95%.

Net sales were almost €5.2 billion, a 10% increase. The latter figure would have been a 9% rise with exchange rate fluctuations stripped out.

In its Mobile Infrastructure division, revenue was up 5% to €2.9 billion, partly attributed to shifting income from Q4 into Q3. The company noted this part of the business benefitted from “commercial discipline” and continued execution of cost reduction measures.

Hotard highlighted Nokia had continued to “simplify our portfolio” and was on track to complete the integration of optical networks company Infinera by the end of 2026, having acquired it in 2025.

The process is set to be completed a year ahead of its original plan, with the executive noting this created €200 million in net synergies.

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