US mobile carrier Verizon has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to test 4GHz midband spectrum for potential 6G use cases.

The request, as noted on X by Steven Crowley and first reported by Light Reading, reveals that Verizon has asked the regulator for an experimental authorization to use the 4.8-4.9 GHz band (B79A) in and around its lab in Los Angeles, California.

In the filing, Verizon said that it seeks to demo 5G advanced technology use cases such as object sensing as a "precursor to 6G Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)."

According to the carrier, this work "will facilitate the adoption of use cases across commercial, public safety, and defense sectors. The company cited Ericsson's hardware as being compatible for testing.

"The proposed testing serves the public interest and should be granted. The grant of this request will allow Verizon Wireless to pursue the development of future 6G technology," said Verizon in its request.

"Verizon Wireless is limiting this application to a small area around its lab facilities for the trial. If a deployment develops out of this trial, Verizon Wireless will utilize its own licensed spectrum for the network deployment."

If the testing gets the go-ahead, Verizon said it plans to test the spectrum in an outdoor environment, noting that all transmissions will be controlled at the locations provided in the application.

"The fixed base stations will employ directional antennas and will have a maximum antenna elevation as described in the application. The base station antenna has a half-power beam width of approximately 24º vertically and 65º horizontally," added the carrier.

The request comes off the back of Verizon pairing with Samsung to trial ISAC during a soccer fan event in Dallas, Texas.

It also comes as Verizon outlined its intentions to showcase 6G technologies during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The carrier noted this week that "views the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles as the ultimate interim proving ground on the road to commercial 6G deployment."

Verizon has a 6G lab in the city and plans to use Los Angeles as a "live, real-world stage to stress-test the massive capacity demands and early use cases of the AI-native era."