6G systems are expected to be commercially launched by 2030, while the first phase of standardization will likely start from 2025
ATIS’ Next G Alliance (NGA) announced the release of a new report unveiling a future vision of the fundamental technologies needed to evolve from 5G to a dynamic 6G cloud technology.
According to the report, dubbed “6G Technologies for Wide Area Cloud Evolution”, the 6G wide area cloud (WAC) is envisioned to be composed of intelligent and ubiquitous computing, communication and data services spanning across regional and metro area data centers, cell sites, on-premise equipment and devices. NGA said that the new report provides a deep dive into the concept of the 6G WAC and offers in-depth analysis of key aspects to address when integrating cloud and communications.
“A key difference between 6G and previous generations will likely be the integration of compute and communications,” said Stephen Hayes, vice chair of the NGA technology working group. “This report explores the research areas needed to meet the demanding requirements of applications that will rely on the network not only for communications but also to offload compute tasks.”
“Envision the future 6G network as a vast array of sensors, users, applications and services that will both produce and consume vast amounts of data that passes through various jurisdictional, business and geopolitical domains,” said Next G Alliance Managing Director Mike Nawrocki. “The network must ensure that the QoS requirements for accessing and processing this data are met. It must also ensure that privacy, security and legal constraints on the data are met, both when the data is at rest and on the move. This report addresses what it will take to help the 6G wide area cloud facilitate these goals.”
In May, the Next G Alliance (NGA) announced the publication of a report dubbed ‘6G Roadmap for Vertical Industries’, which focuses on the demand side of future 6G systems.
This report builds on the NGA’s 2022 roadmap to 6G report, which established the North American vision for next generation communications systems.
The report explores how as-yet-unstandardized 6G technology can help meet the applications needs of a broad range of industries including agriculture, automotive, education, gaming and entertainment, eHealth, industrial, mining, public safety and smart cities.
NGA noted that the report traces the implications of vertical-specific use cases into applications that future 6G technology can enable and highlights promising technologies that need to be researched and engineered into operational systems. The NGA based its research on direct input from experts in the vertical industries represented to identify their 6G visions and needs.
Earlier this year, NGA published another report focusing on artificial intelligence wireless networks which addresses one of the “six audacious goals” set forth in the NGA’s roadmap to 6G.
The initial application of AI/ML to wireless networks began with 5G, stated NGA. However, its application in 6G will be more real-time, increasingly comprehensive and seamlessly integrated into the design of the wireless system. The white paper outlines the research and technology directions required to make the vision of an AI-native wireless network a reality.
6G systems are expected to be commercially launched by 2030, while the first phase of standardization will likely start from 2025, leading to the first 6G specification in 3GPP Release 21 by 2028.
