6G-life: Digital Transformation and Sovereignty of Future Communication Networks

Abstract

This column aims to increase the visibility and exposure of network-related research projects/activities around the world. The theme of this inaugural column is “6G Networks Research in Europe — Overview of Current Status and Future Directions.” While 5G technology is being deployed worldwide, research efforts in academia and industry are already shaping the vision for 6G. 6G is expected to meet the expectations that 5G cannot, deliver the next level of experience in all areas of society through hyperconnectivity, and provide services that may seem like science fiction today. In the 6G era, the human, physical, and digital worlds will merge in unison to enable rich multi-sensory experiences involving humans, machines, and the physical world. Some 6G services already stand out, including immersive extended reality, holographic communications, and virtual replicas. Achieving 6G will require major innovations in several areas, including wireless connectivity and integration of non-terrestrial networks, incorporating artificial intelligence into the very fabric of communication networks, and networked sensing. While there is still much innovation to come in 5G with new versions of the standard, 6G research is well underway around the world, including in Europe, to make 6G commercially available by 2030. The major projects underway in Europe include the following: 6G-life, Hexa-X, AI@EDGE, DAEMON, and MARSAL.