Mapping future tech trends
Development of the ETSI Technology Radar as interactive tool to help ETSI members explore, understand and prioritise future standardisation opportunities.
Today’s ICT trends are foundational to ETSI’s present and future standardisation work. Our Industry Specification Groups provide a fertile ground for ETSI members and non-members to evaluate emerging standardisation opportunities and their likely timescale.
Why standards matter
ETSI’s work – including early-stage research and related pre-standardisation activities – is enriched by our close links with international R&D initiatives and European funded projects hosted by industry and academia. These initiatives are underpinned by ETSI’s Technology Radar that tracks a wide range of emergent ICT trends, from quantum computing and photonics to extended reality and innovative radio techniques.
Key activities and focus areas
Preparing for 6G
Enabling ETSI members and participating non-members to share research results and early findings in order to build wider industry consensus on new technologies relevant to 6G mobile systems.
Quantum secure communications
Reinforcing ETSI’s position as a key player in Europe’s quantum strategy, while supporting European policy objectives including contributions to the European Quantum Act and the European Chips Act.
Key technical groups
Industry Specification Group (ISG)
ISG ARF
Framework of AR components, systems and services that mix real-time digital content with the real world. Development of modular architecture enabling interoperability through defined interfaces.
Industry Specification Group (ISG)
ISG ISAC
Coordinating pre-standards research on integrated sensing and communication technology across various EU/National funded projects, paving the way for 6G standardisation of ISAC technology.
Industry Specification Group (ISG)
ISG MAT
New multiple access techniques for future 6G mobile systems based on 3GPP specifications, enhancing transmission performance in areas including spectrum efficiency, power consumption and latency.
Industry Specification Group (ISG)
ISG QKD
Specification of interfaces, implementation security requirements and optical characterisation of QKD systems and their components, enabling robust deployable solutions to protect next-generation telecommunications.
Software Development Group (SDG)
SDG Open Source MANO
Developing a production-grade Management and Orchestration Stack aligned with ETSI NFV standards, enabling the design and management of virtualised and cloud-native network services across public...
Software Development Group (SDG)
SDG OpenCAPIF
Developing an open source Common API Framework, as specified by 3GPP, enabling secure and consistent exposure and use of 3GPP northbound APIs.
Software Development Group (SDG)
SDG OpenOP
Open-source Operator Platform enabling operator network and testbed federation; standardised capability exposure APIs for interoperable and developer-friendly solutions across telecom, cloud and AI domains.
Software Development Group (SDG)
SDG OpenSlice
Open-source service-based Operations Support System (OSS) to deliver Network as a Service (NaaS) to meet evolving demands of the telecom industry, building on code seeds...
Software Development Group (SDG)
SDG TeraFlowSDN
Developing an open source cloud native network automation framework to enable smart networks and services for 6G and beyond.
Technical Committee (TC)
TC QT
Developing specifications that address quantum communications and quantum networks, laying the foundations for secure global communications networks
Upcoming events
ETSI @ external event
Telco AI Forum
16 June 2026
Online
Webinar
Webinar: ISAC System and RAN architectural considerations at ETSI and 3GPP
1 July 2026
Online
Conference
ETSI/IQC Quantum Safe Cryptography Conference 2026
16-18 June 2026
Ottawa, Canada
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