S4 - Global Standards Leadership Conference 2025 - The Global Ecosystem of Standardized Technology

The fourth sessions focused on the evolution of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) related to 5G, and the early groundwork being laid for 6G. Moderated by Marc Rysman, Professor at Boston University, this session brought together leading voices from the standardization and wireless innovation landscape to discuss the evolving global ecosystem shaping 6G. Speakers Milind Kulkarni, VP of Engineering at InterDigital; Peter Merz, Head of Standards at Nokia; Shahrokh Nayeb Nazar, Head of Patent Analysis & Assertion at Qualcomm; and Eswar Vutukuri, Director of Standards at ZTE, explored the convergence of technological innovation, global competition, and strategic imperatives on the path to 6G.

The session began by highlighting how wireless standards are no longer limited to connectivity alone. Instead, 5G and future 6G standards are foundational to adjacent sectors such as artificial intelligence or Internet of Things (IoT). The panel emphasized that standards are enabling capabilities far beyond traditional telecom applications, extending into domains like real-time robotics and edge computing. Both Nokia and InterDigital noted the growing demand for standards bodies to account for these expanded use cases during the development process, which will ultimately shape the real-world applicability of next-generation technologies.