Türk Telekom and InterDigital have unveiled what they describe as the world’s first implementation of collaborative cellular and Wi-Fi sensing built on preliminary 6G architecture. The breakthrough will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress 2026, marking a major step toward intelligent, sensing-enabled 6G networks.
The joint research, conducted at the Türk Telekom Innovation and Test Center in Ankara, shows how cellular and Wi-Fi networks can function as complementary sensing systems. By combining sensing data from both radio technologies, the companies achieved higher accuracy, stronger service continuity, and fewer blind spots, particularly in indoor environments where traditional sensing approaches face limitations in coverage and resources.
At the center of the demonstration is Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), a foundational element of 6G. ISAC allows networks to simultaneously communicate and sense their surroundings using existing radio infrastructure and spectrum. This enables the detection of presence, movement, and objects without relying on cameras, supporting privacy-preserving and cost-efficient deployments at scale.
The architecture builds on baseline ISAC concepts developed in the first release of the ETSI ISAC Industry Specification Group. InterDigital’s Alain Mourad is currently serving a second term as Chair of the ETSI ISAC ISG, reinforcing the company’s leadership in shaping early 6G standards.
The collaboration combines InterDigital’s experimental 6G sensing research platform with Türk Telekom’s operational expertise in next-generation network trials. Together, the teams validated how collaborative sensing can maintain consistent quality of service for sensing-driven applications, regardless of user location or changing network conditions.
The live demonstration achieved near real-time indoor human presence detection with improved accuracy and resilience compared to single-network sensing. This validates collaborative sensing as a strong architectural candidate for future 6G deployments.
Key use cases highlighted include:
Manufacturing
Enhanced sensing resolution to support automated production lines and industrial robotics.
Healthcare
Accurate, non-wearable patient monitoring in clinical environments.
Situational Awareness
Privacy-preserving detection and tracking without the need for visual sensors.
As global momentum builds toward 6G commercialization in the early 2030s, findings from this collaboration are expected to influence operator strategies, network architecture design, and international standards development.
Rajesh Pankaj, CTO of InterDigital, described the milestone as a preview of how future networks will sense, adapt, and intelligently serve industries. He emphasized that maintaining reliable sensing performance amid coverage gaps and resource constraints remains one of the core ISAC challenges.
Zafer Orhan, CNO of Türk Telekom, noted that the partnership demonstrates how blending communication and sensing can unlock new capabilities across smart manufacturing, healthcare, and intelligent buildings, while preserving privacy.
Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said the demonstration aligns closely with ongoing efforts around Wi-Fi and cellular convergence, particularly in enhancing indoor intelligence and seamless, context-aware services.
The collaborative sensing showcase at MWC 2026 signals how Wi-Fi and cellular integration could become a defining feature of 6G networks.
