3GPP has named the next-generation wireless technology 6G cell tower (radio) node name as aNB. The development marks a new development for continuous progress for the upcoming 5G-successor.
3GPP, which stands for the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, is a globally recognized body that works for the telecommunication standards. It helps bring uniformity to cellular technology and its symmetrical deployment. The body has given the 6G BTS radio node the name, aNB.
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What does 6G aNB node name stand for?
In the nNB node name for a 6G base station, a stands for Access/Advanced/AI, while NB stands for NodeB. The naming rationale highlights the power of AI in the next-gen network.
Let’s talk about the evolution of node names for each generation since 1G.
In the first-generation cellular network, the BTS name was simply called BS, meaning Base Station. For 2G, the node name was Base Transceiver Station (BTS). Fast forward, 5G BTS is gNB, meaning called Next Generation NodeB. As stated above, the 5G tower (node) is to be called aNB.
You can check out different cellular technologies and their node name in the table below.
| Format | Technical standards representative | Base station name | Full form |
| 1G | NMT/AMPS | BS | Base Station |
| 2G | GSM/CDMA | BTS | Base Transceiver Station |
| 3G | UMTS | NodeB | Node B |
| 4G | LTE | eNB | Evolved NodeB |
| 5G | NR | gNB | Next Generation NodeB |
| 6G | 6G-Access/AI-Air | aNB | Access/Advanced/AI NodeB |
Various firms and countries like South Korea plan to launch 6G by 2028. So, the growing development seems to realize that timeline.