XR Content Demands Strain Wireless Networks

A new report by InterDigital, Inc. and Futuresource Consulting says that wireless infrastructure may be disrupted by the increase of immersive and extended reality (XR) content. Network innovation is needed to meet consumer demands as video and XR consumption increases.

Video Consumption

The report, “Media over Wireless: Networks for Ubiquitous Video,” says that consumer behavior is changing. Video made up 69% of all internet data traffic in 2024, while social media was 13% and gaming was 10%. Video accounted for 74% of data consumption on smartphones, driven by social media videos, streaming, and embedded content.

Network Strain

Current networks are showing strain. The report states that 40% of consumers are not happy with network performance. These frustrations may increase as XR device shipments quadruple to 83 million units by 2031.

Milind Kulkarni, Head of Wireless Labs at InterDigital, said that the demand for immersive entertainment is significant and that future wireless systems must be ready for the changes as people move from watching video to stepping inside it.

XR Growth

The growth of XR is considerable. By 2037, there may be 130 million 6G-enabled XR devices in use, making XR a main driver of next-generation network capabilities. By 2030, Futuresource expects XR to be the second major hardware category after smartphones to integrate 6G features, enabling applications like city tours, real-time augmented guides, and digital twins.

Kulkarni said that XR is a stress test for wireless networks, where the throughput and latency demands make it a defining use case for 6G and next-gen video codecs.

Advancements in 5G-Advanced and the rollout of 6G architectures are important to overcome these challenges. The report predicts that 6G deployment will occur as XR ecosystems mature between 2028 and 2032.

Lionel Oisel, Head of Video Labs at InterDigital, said that the XR market is entering a pivotal phase and XR entertainment is going to become an expectation as the first 6G standards are released. Interactive digital sports venues, real-time augmented city guides and digital twins may be seen.

The report says that wireless networks must evolve to unlock the potential of XR. The next generation of wireless technology will transform immersive content into a global standard of entertainment by addressing challenges like latency and throughput.