White Paper on The EUROPEAN VISION For The 6G NETWORK ECOSYSTEM

The 6G IA Vision Working Group are pleased to present their White Paper on The EUROPEAN VISION For The 6G NETWORK ECOSYSTEM.

This white paper highlights the importance of creating a unified 6G vision, driven by key stakeholders worldwide, towards a single global consensus. Specifically, the European perspective, as represented by the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA), is emphasized, showcasing Europe’s proactive role in 6G research, development (R&D) and standardisation, also addressing societal, environmental, economic and market challenges. The paper captures the ongoing global efforts to develop and standardise 6G networks and have them ready for a commercial launch around 2030.

In the paper, and summarised in the webinar, the 6G IA Vision Group outlines the technological advancements anticipated in 6G, such as native artificial intelligence (AI) support, integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), and advanced cybersecurity. 6G systems themselves need to be sustainable. We also need 6G for sustainability, i.e. to, via 6G, enhance sustainability across various industries, including media, transportation, and healthcare.

The paper also provides an updated vision on the forthcoming 6G architecture, focusing on potential innovations and addressing current 5G limitations. We identify fundamental challenges in 5G that hinder efficient global operations and outline potential architectural innovations for 6G to overcome these challenges. These innovations aim to create a robust, flexible, and sustainable network architecture capable of supporting next-generation applications and services.

DESIRE6G contributed to this White Paper as an overall and section editor, and with contributions from the project.