A recently published article by Sarah Tanveer, Ph.D. candidate in the Computer Science Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW Madison), and Ali Abedi, assistant professor in the Computer Science Department at UW Madison, outlines the importance of future coexistence studies in the 7 GHz band due to the complex interference patterns that can result between sixth-generation (6G) wireless signals and radio astronomy sensing.
This article is based on field research conducted by SpectrumX, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Spectrum Innovation Center, at the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s (NRAO) Very Large Array (VLA) near Socorro, New Mexico, in July 2025.
“Next-generation wireless systems require access to underutilized spectrum, but their impact on incumbent users cannot be ignored,” said Tanveer. “Measurement studies like this one are essential for characterizing real-world interference, supporting coexistence between users, and informing spectrum policy.”
6G is the next phase of mobile communications technology, expected to be commercially available around 2030. Compared to 5G, the current wireless network that powers smartphones, 6G aims to provide faster data rates, higher energy efficiency, and lower latency, which would improve overall wireless connectivity for consumers. This technology, like all other wireless technologies, requires access to a suitable radio frequency spectrum band, and one that is currently under consideration in the United States is the 7 GHz band, due to its wide-area coverage, high capacity, and relatively few incumbent users.
While none of the 7 GHz band is allocated to radio astronomy, since this portion of the spectrum is largely unused at present, it is relatively interference-free, so many radio astronomy observatories make opportunistic use of this band. However, the introduction of 6G cellular systems in this band would also introduce novel interference challenges for radio astronomy observations.
To better understand these potential coexistence issues, NSF SpectrumX traveled to the VLA, a remote radio astronomy observatory in the desert of New Mexico, to collect data. Using a custom-built transmitter connected to an antenna, researchers transmitted a 6G-emulated signal, augmented with a narrowband beacon signal, while driving near the observatory to mimic the signals that a 6G smartphone would emit as its user drives along the road near the observatory. An NSF SpectrumX-designed receiver situated near the observatory’s existing antennas received the emulated 6G signal to measure signal strength along the car’s route to gain insight into real-world interference risks.
While the analysis of the data provided many insights related to 6G and radio astronomy coexistence, two major takeaways have been identified. First, 6G signals from common, commercial-grade wireless technology can cause interference even at distances of over nine miles from the radio astronomy antennae. Second, the configuration of radio astronomy antennae plays a key role in signal interference, resulting in complex, unexpected interference patterns.
With the confirmation that signal interference between 6G cellular systems and radio astronomy will be highly dependent on the physical structures of observatories’ receivers, this study underscores the importance of conducting future studies at the VLA and other radio astronomy observatories to more fully understand the coexistence challenges that may result from allocating 6G cellular systems to the 7 GHz band.
Tanveer presented this paper at the 2026 National Radio Science Meeting (NRSM) in Boulder, Colorado. The paper was recognized as a finalist in the meeting’s Student Paper Competition.
To read the full scientific article, please visit the US National Committee for the International Union of Radio Science website.
About NSF SpectrumX
SpectrumX is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) as part of its Spectrum Innovation Initiative, under grant number AST 21-32700. NSF SpectrumX is the world’s largest academic hub where all radio spectrum stakeholders can innovate, collaborate, and contribute to maximizing social welfare of this precious resource.
To learn more about NSF SpectrumX, please visit spectrumx.org.
Contact:
Stephanie Loney, Research Communications Specialist
NSF SpectrumX / Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame
sloney@nd.edu / 574.631.7804
spectrumx.org
