Channel Modeling Toward 6G in 3GPP Release 19

In Release 19, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) not only focused on the commercial deployment needs of 5G-Advanced but also prepared channel models for 6G. Targeting feasible channel models that satisfy the requirements of upcoming 6G studies and evaluation, two study items (SIs) on channel modeling for the 7-24 GHz spectrum and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) were conducted in Release 19. The existing channel model was validated for the emerging 7-24 GHz spectrum and extended to accommodate characteristics introduced by larger antenna arrays. Meanwhile, a new ISAC channel model was proposed to bridge the gap in ISAC performance evaluation. This article presents a comprehensive overview of Release 19 channel modeling and discusses potential implementations for 6G performance evaluation.