5G Innovating Towards Next Generation Wireless Networks

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

As 5G becomes 5G-Advanced, research for future sixth generation “6G” wireless cellular networks are underway that may open new opportunities to extend wireless solutions into nearly every facet of human and machine interaction. Today, 5G Americas, the voice of 5G and 4G LTE for the Americas, announced the release of its latest white paper covering communications in networks of the future entitled, “Mobile Communications Towards 2030.”

Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas said, “5G has a long roadmap of innovation ahead of it and is laying the foundation for the success of the next generation of wireless technologies. As we move towards the future of the connected world, our industry must first understand areas that 5G is not addressing to create a 6G vision and establish future standards. Companies, governments, standards organizations, and academia are just now beginning to consider the possibilities of the next wave of wireless technology for 2030 and beyond.”

The latest white paper will review activities shaping wireless networks beyond 5G throughout North America and around the world, including initiatives in Germany and India. It looks at early specifications and requirements for emerging mobile communications applications, including holographic communications, imaging and sensing, evolutions of massive IoT (mIoT), smart agriculture, and first responder services among others. 

The white paper focuses particularly on North American technical leadership, examining new applications, services and emerging technologies under discussion and planning stages. It reviews activities by the US Department of Defense, recent US CHIPS Act, standards activities, and North American leadership in the ITU significant to research and future development of 6G.

“Mobile Communications Towards 2030” explores the following key topics:

• Introduction with activities focused on North America & NSF programs
• Review of global activities
• Standards initiatives
• Use cases
• Technology requirements and network evolution
• Technology enablers and trends
• North American leadership – technology and regulatory

Brian Daly, AVP Standards & Industry Alliance at AT&T and leader of the 5G Americas working group for this paper said, “5G continues to evolve with tremendous advances across multiple areas. However, organizations have begun to study the next generation of wireless technology. As we look to the future, 6G is expected to have steep requirements for extremely performant, trustworthy, intelligent, cognitive, flexible, and sustainable wireless communication networks.”

Ali Khayrallah, Senior Scientist Advanced Technology Group at Ericsson and co-leader of this 5G Americas working group said, “Many projects identified as ‘Next G’ and ‘6G’ are already underway in many parts of the world. Although 6G networks are not expected until at least 2030, the right strategies and policies can promote investment, research, development, innovation, and deployment of the next generation of mobile communication technologies.”