Research Directions

A new control plane is essential for distributed RAN deployments to enable near real-time adaptations of the radio environment and efficient user distribution across available radio resources.

6G core network architecture will enable real-time migration of functionality and user information to any suitable compute and storage unit within the environment and its automatic configuration for supporting the communication requirements.

Network ecosystem is evolving from protocol enhancements to behavior optimization, driven by spectrum limitations, software-hardware decoupling, the need for programmability, and a holistic approach to virtual networks and cloud deployments.

The rise in RAN capacity and demands for time-sensitive networks are transforming transport networks from static allocations to dynamic, flexible systems, highlighting inefficiencies and reliability issues across backhaul connections.

6G must accommodate extreme communication requirements and manage shared resources among an increasing number of devices by closely observing the real environment with greater granularity.

We anticipate that 6G networks will introduce two new categories of value-added services beyond traditional communication, focusing on area-specific functionalities driven by “sensing” services.

The rise in RAN capacity and diverse access options are shifting transport networks from static allocations to dynamic systems, creating bottlenecks and extending inefficiencies and reliability issues beyond radio to backhaul connections.

Cloud native software is developed specifically for cloud computing environments, enabling natural scalability, flexibility and resilience.

Using the organic 6G networks flexibility, we expect to be able to reduce the network function overhead while maintaining the same functionality.

The only way to progress towards the management of more complex networks is through automation.