6G Requirements and Potential Enabling

Technologies from the Perspective of

Mobile Operators

Dr. Youssouf Ould Cheikh Mouhamedou

Member of Rimedo Labs Business & Technical Advisory Board

September 2022
Agenda

Mobile Networks Evolution – From 1G to 6G

Current 5G Services for B2B and B2C Use Cases

Challenges for 5G B2B Use Cases

A Tentative Roadmap and Timeline for 6G

6G Key Requirements

6G KPIs

Potential Enabling Technologies

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5G Status

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 Mobile Networks Evolution – From 1G to 6G
9.6 Kbps 2 Mbps 1 Gbps 10 Gbps 1 Tbps
Mobile Networks Evolution – From 1G to 6G
Analog Digital WCDMA OFDM + Virtualized Core AI, Open RAN,
All-IP PS Network RIS, ..etc

Voice call SMS & Roaming Mobile Internet Mobile Broadband Massive Broadband + Full Digital and
Internet IoT + Industry Verticals Connected World

1G 2G 3G 4G 5G 6G

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

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Current 5G Services for B2B and B2C Use Cases
5G Vision 5G Reality

Making voice calls Watching and sharing

videos and selfies

B2C

Worldwide, there are no (or just few)

5G services for B2B industry verticals

B2B

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Challenges for 5G B2B Use Cases
5G is a game-changer for many B2B industry verticals, but not yet a game-winner.
Why?

Businesses Challenges:

Lack of business Delay in ecosystem readiness

cases (devices and network)

Mobile Operators Challenges:

Not willing to upgrade to meet

business demand unless there is
clear demand

It takes time to develop different SLA

levels based on unique business
requirements

Not straightforward to develop

Business model for charging

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Towards 6G

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G+ Happens Every 10 Years and 6G Won’t Be an Exception

Marketing machinery is in full gear Benefits

Vendors G+ will be cash cow because of the Selling more
many great verticals it can serves equipment

Regulatory G+ will accelerate the digitalization of Selling more

body economies and society Spectrum

Univ. G+ will eliminates drawbacks of G and Getting research

Researchers introduce technological advances funds

Mobile G+ is the answer to all emerging needs New revenue

Operators of consumers, businesses, and society streams

Beneficiaries’ hopes
Consumers Improved user experience at competitive pricing

Businesses Cost-efficient ways to enhance existing businesses and explore new ones

Society Privacy and health (e.g., limited Electromagnetic Field (EMF) emissions )

In conclusion, 6G will happen in 2030 and 7G in 2040 (if not earlier)

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A Tentative Roadmap and Timeline for 6G
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031

Universities, 5G Research 6G Research

Research
centers, 6G Early Trials &Test beds
Vendors
System Trials for 6G

Technical Submission of
performance technology proposals, IMT-
Technology trends &
requirements, evaluation of proposals, 2030
Vision of IMT beyond 2030
evaluation criteria, consensus Building, specs
submission templates decision

ITU-R WRC-19 WRC-23 WRC-23

Allocate 5G Spectrum Discuss 6G Spectrum Allocate 6G Spectrum

5G Advanced and (possibly)

5G 6G
5G Advanced Pro

Rel-15 Rel-16 Rel-17 Rel-18 Rel-19 Rel-20 Rel-21 Rel-22 Rel-23

First 3GPP spec

Mobile Commercial
Operators Deployment
 6G Key Requirements
• Higher data rates for Immersive
virtual environments such as
Metaverse & extended reality (xR)
• Higher connection density to • Resilience = high robustness
support the ever increasing + fast recovery over failure
Perception of demands of connected devices • Secure, reliable, and
Infinite Capacity available under all
circumstances
Resilience and
security

• Significant reduction in
Perception
energy of
consumption per bit
• GreenInfinite
energyCapacity
for RAN (e.g. energy
produced by nearby solar panel and
stored in battery bank) • Perception
Elimination of spots
of dead
• Fully recyclable components • Infinite Capacity
High-speed wireless
Sustainability
connectivity throughout
land, sea, sky, space
Ubiquitous
3D coverage
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6G KPIs
KPI 5G 6G
Peak data rate 20 Gbps 1 Tbps
User experienced data rate 100 Mbps 1 Gbps
Peak spectral efficiency 30 b/s/Hz 60 b/s/Hz
User experienced spectral efficiency 0.3 b/s/Hz 3 b/s/Hz
End-to-End latency 10 ms 1 ms
Radio-only latency 1 ms 100 microseconds
Block Error Rate (BLER) 10-5 10-9
Connection density 106 devices/Km2 107 devices/Km2
Network energy efficiency Not Specified 1 pJ/b
Position accuracy 1m 0.1 m
Mobility 500 Km/h 1000 Km/h
Maximum frequency 100 GHz 10 THz
Maximum bandwidth 1 GHz 100 GHz
Satellite integration Partial Fully rimedolabs.com
Potential 6G Enabling
Technologies

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Potential Enabling Technologies

There are many interesting

technologies that have potential to
enable 6G.

The focus here is on some 6G enabling

technologies that have potential to noticeably
contribute to Mobile operators businesses in term
of creation of revenue and growth.

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AI-Native Design for Better Teaming

UE RAN Core Application Server

Local AI Local AI Local AI Local AI

Joint AI (UE & RAN) Joint AI (RAN & Core) Joint AI (Core & App. )

End-to-End AI
Local UE/RAN • e.g., Channel estimation and prediction
Joint RAN<--> Core • e.g., Handover optimization - predict future users’ location/speed to trigger handover on time
Core • e.g., How to manage signaling storms when Network falls down and recovers

E2E AI benefits:
• Predict anomalies in network operation → take corrective action on time → enhance network reliability and
achieve OPEX reduction
• Optimized network slicing → Can accommodate new Network slices for additional industry vertical → enhance
network efficiency and reduce CAPEX
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Open RAN
Core
1G &2G RAN Backhaul Network
Not

Core
3G &4G RRH Fronthaul BBU Backhaul Network

Midhaul Open RAN

CU-U Backhaul benefits:
Core • Open
5G RU Fronthaul DU E1 Network interfaces for
CU-C Interoperability
• Open
Orchestration & Automation Ecosystem (no
Design, Inventory, Policy, Configuration, RIC Non-Real Time vendor lock-in),
• Innovation,
A1
• Quick Time-to-
RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) Near-Real Time Market,
RAN DB, 3rd Party APP, Radio Connection/QoS/Mobility/Interference Mgmt, Trained Model • Intelligent
E2 E2 E2 Management
Midhaul Backhaul
Open CU-U → Significant
6G Fronthaul Core reduction in
RU DU E1 Network OPEX & CAPEX
CU-C

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In-band Full-Duplex Communication
FDD TDD 1G, 2G, & 3G:

Frequency
Frequency

FDD
Guard Times
UL
Guard
Band 4G & 5G:
DL UL DL UL DL FDD & TDD

Time Time
Tx & Rx at the same time, but each has Tx & Rx in alternating time slots, using a single block of
dedicated block of spectrum spectrum, but feels like simultaneous Tr &Rx

Full Duplex Need self-interference technology that allows a radio to completely cancel out its
Frequency

own transmission, such that it can receive in the same block of spectrum .

UL & DL Simultaneously
Time
Tx & Rx at the same time, using a single
block of spectrum
6G: Full-Duplex, FDD,
and TDD
Full-Duplex Benefits:
• Doubling spectral efficiency → Can get the job done using ½ of the available block
of spectrum → Next spectrum auction purchase only ½ of otherwise needed
spectrum → Cost saving
• Use of Relays to extend coverage of mmWave
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Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs)
Goal: to partially control the channel
for better coverage and data rate gains
RIS Controller
• RIS is a two-dimensional grid of antennas/reflectors, whose
properties are reconfigurable rather than static
• RIS Controller controls the RIS antennas/reflectors
• RIS system is almost passive (i.e., signal is not amplified or
regenerated), the only power consumed is the one by RIS controller
• RIS system increases coverage
• Can be placed on building facades, billboards, underground ceilings,
train stations, airports

RIS
When compared to rely, RIS system has:
• Simplified hardware,
• Much lower energy consumption,
• Lower cost

Device 3
Device 2
RISs benefits:
Obstacle Device 1 • Better Planning: When placing a new RAN is difficult or costly
• Deployment cost: Accelerating the use of mmWave in cost
effective manner
RAN • Sustainability: Lowering energy consumption
• Society: Reducing exposure to to electromagnetic fields (EMF)
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Terahertz Communication
Don’t Give Up on Terahertz (THz) bands (0.1-10 THz) . Likely, it will be adopted in 6G standard.

6G
5G
4G

6 GHz [100 GHz, 300 GHz] sub-THz 10 THz

BUT, unless practical & profitable breakthrough happens in enabling technologies such as
Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) and the like, THz bands will have harder time than 5G
mmWave bands.

• Even if THz bands are adapted in 6G standard, they won’t be used in early
deployment of 6G because of the lack of profitable use cases
• Maybe profitable use cases and cost-efficient devices will evolve around 7G era
(~2040)
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info@rimedolabs.com
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