Barcelona– As the global mobile industry convened at Mobile World Congress (MWC), the conversation increasingly turned towards the next generation of wireless technology: 6G. While 5G deployments continue their global expansion, thought leaders and researchers are already laying the groundwork for a future promising ubiquitous connectivity, AI, and entirely new applications.

In an exclusive interview with EE Times, Peter Vetter, President of Nokia Bell Labs Core Research, offered a detailed glimpse into the emerging vision for 6G, painting a picture of a network deeply intertwined with artificial intelligence and seamlessly integrated across terrestrial and non-terrestrial domains.

“In order to really be ahead of the curve, it needs at least 10 years to get from the concept to the commercial deployment. 2030 is what we expect to be the start of commercial deployment,” stated Vetter, underscoring the long-term nature of telecommunications research and development.

He further noted that while commercialization is still years away, “6G is no longer long-term research. The standardization actually starts this month,” referring to the ongoing work within bodies like 3GPP. This early standardization phase is crucial, establishing the foundational framework for developing 6G hardware and software.

AI at the core

According to Vetter, a primary driver for developing 6G is the fundamental integration of artificial intelligence. “The main reason to define a next generation is to have AI capability so that the existing standard does not prevent you from exploiting the capabilities of AI to the fullest. So, that is, I think, the biggest justification to have a new standard,” he asserted.

It signifies a departure from previous generations, where AI was layered on top of existing network architectures. Nokia envisions AI as a core design principle, optimizing network performance, managing resources dynamically, and enabling entirely new AI-driven services.

Coupled with the AI imperative is the relentless demand for increased network capacity. “Every generation has shown that capacity goes up by a factor of 10 in a decade. Sometimes it’s a bit slower, sometimes faster, but as a general macroscopic trend, the prediction is that 5G will run out of spectrum and out of steam by the end of this decade,” Vetter explained. However, simply increasing capacity at the cost of energy efficiency is not a sustainable path.

Energy efficiency

A critical driver for 6G, especially as capacity demands increase. Vetter noted that the industry has pledged to reduce the absolute power consumption of the network by 50%. To achieve this ambitious goal while increasing capacity, Vetter stated, “So you see where this is going. You need an energy efficiency per bit that improves by at least factor 20.”

To achieve it, disruptive research beyond incremental improvements in chip technology is necessary. He also pointed out that the natural upgrade cycle in telecom will favor the latest, most energy-efficient technologies, like an electric vehicle, over an old diesel car.

Monetization challenges and the open platform vision

During MWC, experts from many industry stakeholders, including Nokia, Ericsson, and the GSMA, echoed the importance of learning from the 5G experience, particularly concerning monetization.

Vetter pointed out that while 5G has been a technological success in rollout and capacity increase, its ability to monetize the additional investments has been challenging. This has made some service providers hesitant about the excitement surrounding 6G.

“We need ways to monetize the network capabilities better,” Vetter said, envisioning 6G as more than just a “bit pipe,” advocating for a “platform rather than just a bit pipe” with open APIs that “translate human intentions and make it easy to use the infrastructure for different applications and to monetize it also in different ways.”

This platform approach aims to foster innovation across various industries and unlock new revenue streams for network operators beyond traditional connectivity services.

Simplicity, integration, and new capabilities

A key lesson learned from 5G’s complexities is the need for a more straightforward architectural design in 6G. Vetter stressed the importance of a streamlined approach: “An important design consideration for 6G is to make it simple. Let’s not have, like in 5G, seven options, non-standalone and standalone, but only one architecture that is an evolution of the 5G core.” This focus on simplicity aims to reduce deployment costs and operational overhead, facilitating a more efficient rollout of 6G services.

Furthermore, 6G envisions a tighter integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. “The sixth one is the integration with satellite… so that it is one experience, an integrated network because present-day NTN is still a separate network,” Vetter elaborated.

This seamless integration promises to extend connectivity to remote and underserved areas, fulfilling the vision of truly global mobile broadband.

Beyond enhanced capacity and coverage, 6G is exploring novel capabilities such as joint communication and sensing. “Using the fact that there are base stations everywhere and that you can simultaneously use them for communication but also as a kind of radar… without impairing the quality of service of your connection,” explained Vetter, highlighting potential applications in areas like industrial safety, drone detection, and localized weather mapping.

Learning from 5G on spectrum

The discussion around spectrum for 6G reflects lessons from the 5G experience, particularly the challenges associated with millimeter-wave deployments. “One important lesson from 5G is that it’s not a new generation. Let’s go to higher spectrum,” Vetter stated, referencing the limitations of millimeter-wave’s short range and high deployment costs. Instead, 6G focuses on a spectrum range “just above that midband that we use today for 5G, 7 GHz to 15 GHz.” This approach aims to leverage existing cell site infrastructure while providing wider bandwidths for increased capacity and improved coverage compared to millimeter-wave.

The path forward

While the industry rightly focuses on near-term commercialization and standardization within the 3GPP framework, academia often explores more long-term and potentially disruptive technologies.

This difference in focus is a natural part of the innovation ecosystem, with collaborative programs being crucial to bridge the gap and ensure that fundamental research eventually translates into viable future technologies.

Vetter concluded by encouraging researchers to be inventive and forward-thinking within the established 6G framework to drive meaningful advancements and differentiation in the future of mobile technology.

https://www.eetimes.com/nokia-6g-horizon-ai-integration-and-beyond/