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5G • 5G-Advanced (Rel-18)

Zero-Energy IoT Revolution

3GPP Rel-18 Vision of Trillions of Battery-Less Connected Objects

Strategic 5G-Advanced milestone expanding cellular connectivity from billions of battery-powered phones to trillions of battery-less everyday physical objects.

Technical Explanation

The ultimate vision of the Internet of Things was blocked by the maintenance impossibility of replacing billions of dead batteries. Release 18 Ambient IoT marks the historic paradigm shift where physical objects—clothing labels, postal envelopes, food packages, automotive parts—become connected nodes powered entirely by electromagnetic air, paving the path to 6G pervasive computing.

Key Functions

  • Scales cellular addressing and connectivity to trillions of everyday physical objects
  • Eliminates toxic chemical battery waste and manual battery replacement maintenance
  • Provides real-time visibility into global supply chains, logistics, and retail ecosystems
  • Forms the technical foundation for 6G native pervasive ambient intelligence
Specifications
3GPP TR 38.848, TS 38.300 (Rel-18)
Interfaces
Global IoT Architecture

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