As the telecommunications industry looks beyond the capabilities of current 5G networks, the race to define and perfect 6G technology is officially underway. In a major leap forward for next-generation mobile communications, NTT DOCOMO and VIAVI Solutions have successfully completed a joint study demonstrating the immense potential of artificial intelligence in managing Radio Access Networks (RAN).
This pivotal research, which highlights how AI and digital twins can dramatically optimize network performance, will be showcased at VIAVI’s Stand 5B18 during the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026. For our readers here at AarokaTech.com, this development signals a massive shift in how future mobile networks will self-regulate, adapt, and deliver unprecedented data speeds.
The Problem with Conventional Beamforming
To understand the magnitude of this breakthrough, it is essential to look at how current networks operate. In standard wireless communication, base stations rely on a process called beamforming to direct wireless signals specifically toward user equipment (UE), such as smartphones or IoT devices.
Traditionally, this process requires constant back-and-forth communication. The base stations select and control these transmission beams based on network quality measurements that the user devices continuously report back to them. While effective, this constant reporting creates significant “control overhead”—essentially consuming valuable wireless resources just to manage the connection, leaving less bandwidth available for actual data transmission.
A New Era: The Self-Awareness Network
NTT DOCOMO’s innovative solution to this bottleneck is the “Self-awareness Network” concept. Instead of forcing user devices to constantly ping the base station with network quality reports, the network relies on artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies to predict and optimize the connection in real time.
During the joint study, this concept was rigorously tested using VIAVI’s cutting-edge digital twin environment and their TeraVM AI RAN Scenario Generator (AI RSG) network simulator. The results were highly impressive. By accurately predicting network conditions and drastically reducing the need for constant device-to-base-station reporting, the AI-driven approach freed up a substantial amount of wireless resources. This reduction in control overhead directly translated to a system throughput improvement of up to 20%.
The Tokyo Station Simulation: Testing in Complex Environments
To ensure the technology holds up under real-world pressures, the demonstration was executed within a highly complex simulated environment modeling the bustling area around Tokyo Station. Multiple base stations were set up within the simulation to handle heavy traffic.
Using the VIAVI AI RSG to generate predictions and the digital twin to simulate precise measurements, each base station was tasked with independently selecting the optimal communication beam for every individual user device from a pool of eight candidate beams. The system successfully executed these selections with minimal reliance on traditional network quality reporting from the user devices.
Industry Leaders Weigh In on AI and 6G
The successful integration of AI into network infrastructure is a massive milestone for both companies. Ian Langley, Senior Vice President of the Wireless Business Unit at VIAVI, emphasized the importance of this shift away from traditional reporting models. He noted that utilizing intelligent, tailored digital twins combined with AI-powered simulators running on trusted, real-world data allows for highly efficient network control without the traditional latency and overhead.
Hiroyuki Oto, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the 6G-Tech Department at NTT DOCOMO, highlighted the broader implications for the tech ecosystem. As AI and digital twin capabilities become foundational across various industries, their application within network management will be crucial for unlocking the full spectrum of 6G capabilities. Oto reaffirmed that the ongoing cooperation between DOCOMO and VIAVI is a vital step toward the global realization of AI-integrated 6G technologies.
Looking Ahead with Aaroka Tech
The core philosophy behind DOCOMO’s Self-awareness Network—evaluating network quality through location data and radio propagation characteristics within a digital twin before applying AI for real-time dynamic adaptation—is set to become the gold standard for future mobile architectures.
Both NTT DOCOMO and VIAVI Solutions have committed to advancing their collaborative studies on 6G mobile communications. As they continue to push the boundaries of AI and digital twin technologies, the dream of a fully autonomous, self-optimizing global network moves closer to reality.
Stay tuned to AarokaTech.com as we continue to track the evolution of 6G technology, the latest breakthroughs from MWC Barcelona, and the innovations shaping the future of global connectivity.
