National 6G roadmap sets direction for development and implementation of mobile communication technologies

On 17 June 2025, the Ministry of Transport and Communications published the national 6G roadmap to promote sixth-generation communications technologies. The roadmap sets milestones for the development and implementation of next-generation mobile communication technologies in the 2030s.

Finland’s goal in the 2030s is to remain a pioneer in mobile networks and network technologies. The roadmap also sets six other goals:

• built-in safety and security for 6G technology and regulation;
• regulation and frequency availability to support the development and early implementation of 6G services;
• Finnish businesses gain significant foothold in different sectors of 6G;
• Finland boosts its influence in international standardisation of 6G;
• Finland remains a pioneer in the research, development, and innovation of 6G technologies;
• 6G promotes sustainable development and energy efficiency.

- Finland is a pioneer of safe, secure, and reliable network technologies and one of the first to publish a 6G roadmap. This roadmap allows Finland to ensure that we stay on top and create conditions for growth, says Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne.

Roadmap identifies priorities to achieve the goals

There are four priorities in the 6G roadmap to achieve the goals. Key milestones have been identified for each priority for 2025–2030. Advocacy in the EU and on international forums and up-to-date national regulation are prominent in each priority.

The priorities of the roadmap are:

1. Regulatory and frequency work

International decision-making and national availability of frequencies must support both the development of technology and the planning of investments. The roll-out of 6G also requires correctly timed policies on future network operator permits. A well-functioning frequency assignment requires studies and new regulatory, technology, and standardisation solutions.

2. Network safety and security

6G must have built-in security requirements in the very standards, starting in the design phase (secure by design). Up-to-date regulation that considers the development of technology must respond to the strategic security risks of 6G. Risk controls must be predictive to make sure that they do not hinder the implementation of 6G.

3. Standardisation

It is Finland’s goal to create global 6G standards and to make sure that solutions by Finnish companies become the technology of choice for these standards. An open system of international standardisation will allow businesses and research institutions to participate in the standardisation work. Public authorities are required to have a stronger role to coordinate the different operators’ work, in addition to stronger participation from businesses.

4. Research, development and innovation (RDI) activities and business competitiveness

It is Finland’s goal to attract investment in 6G RDI activities, which requires inputs in 6G research and international cooperation. Finland must also ensure that it has sufficient and varied 6G expertise. Test environments, taxation that encourages investment and project support are among the things that we can do to boost the competitiveness of our businesses.

On 10 May 2024, the Ministry of Transport and Communications established the national cross-administrative working group to promote 6G technologies, which prepared the 6G roadmap. In addition to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the working group included the Ministries of Education and Culture, Economic Affairs and Employment and Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Cyber Security Director, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, Business Finland, VTT, Nokia, Erillisverkot, FiCom, DNA, Telia, Elisa, Technology Industries of Finland, Aalto University, and the Universities of Helsinki, Oulu and Tampere.

What’s next?

Implementation of the roadmap will be monitored as part of the TUUTTI project, which seeks security, safety and growth from information networks, and the work of the Advisory Board for Network Security.

The TUUTTI project will prepare Finland’s communications network policies until 2037. The project will also take into account technological development and changes in the international operating environment.

Inquiries:

Kaisa Kopra, Senior Adviser, tel. +358 295 342 066, [email protected]

Sini Wirén, Senior Ministerial Advisor, tel. +358 295 342 532, [email protected] 

Jaakko Laamanen, Senior Inspector, tel. +358 295 342 206, [email protected]