Release 21, often written Rel-21, is the 3GPP release intended to contain the first normative 6G specifications alongside continued 5G-Advanced work. Normative specifications define technical behavior that equipment makers can implement; earlier 6G studies investigate possible designs and requirements.
The roadmap agreed in June 2026 places Stage-1 requirements and package approval in March 2027, Stage-2 architecture freeze in June 2028, Stage-3 functional freeze in December 2028 and the ASN.1/OpenAPI freeze in March 2029. These dates are plans for standards work, not promised availability dates for consumer service.
Release 21 will not necessarily deliver every feature associated with 6G research. Topics such as new radio operation, sensing, AI integration and migration from 5G must move through technical study, decisions, implementation and interoperability testing. Some ideas may be delayed or changed.
For an accurate timeline, cite the particular release milestone and state whether it is planned or completed. The first specification is a foundation for a generation, not evidence that global deployment has begun.