IEEE NETWORKING LETTERS, VOL. 5, NO.
3, SEPTEMBER 2023
6G Perspective of Mobile Network Operators, Manufacturers, and Verticals
Paul Schwenteck , Giang T. Nguyen , Member, IEEE, Holger Boche ,
Wolfgang Kellerer , Senior Member, IEEE, and Frank H. P. Fitzek , Senior Member, IEEE
Abstract—The first release of 5G technology is being rolled
out worldwide. In parallel, 3GPP is constantly adding new fea-
tures to upcoming releases covering well-known use cases. This
raises the questions i) when will 6G be introduced?, ii) how
can 6G be motivated for the stakeholders, and iii) what are the
6G use cases? In this letter, we present the perspective of these
stakeholders, namely the network operators, manufacturers, and
verticals, identifying potential 5G shortcomings and the remain-
ing 6G solution space. We will highlight the Metaverse as the
enabler for 6G addressing omnipresent daily challenges and the
upcoming energy problem.
Index Terms—6G use cases, Metaverse, AI, quantum com-
munication, molecular communication, pandemic, aging society,
climate change, skill shortage.
I. I NTRODUCTION
UBLIC 5G mobile communication systems are currently
P being rolled out. Most of the 5G communication systems
in operation are based on Release 15 non-standalone (NSA)
and are nowadays converted into standalone (SA) systems.
While NSA is still based on a 4G core system, the SA embeds
a 5G core and can therefore be considered the first natural 5G
system. While 4G and its predecessors still had the consumer
market in mind, 5G aims to open up entirely new markets.
Even though 5G is advertised with high data rates to attract
the old consumer customer front, the absolute novelty in 5G
is the support of low latency communication for the Industrial
Internet, healthcare, mobility, etc., mainly machine-to-machine
Manuscript received 15 March 2023; accepted 10 April 2023. Date of pub-
lication 13 April 2023; date of current version 25 September 2023. This work
was supported in part by the German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft) as part of Germany’s Excellence Strategy – EXC
2050/1 – Cluster of Excellence “Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-
the-Loop” (CeTI) of Technische Universität Dresden under Grant 390696704,
and in part by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany
in the Programme of “Souverän. Digital. Vernetzt.” — Joint Project 6G-Life
under Grant 16KISK001K and Grant 16KISK002. The associate editor coordi-
nating the review of this article and approving it for publication was P. Monti
(Corresponding author: Paul Schwenteck.)
Paul Schwenteck is with the Deutsche Telekom Chair of Communication
Networks, TU Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany (e-mail: Paul.Schwenteck@
tu-dresden.de).
Giang T. Nguyen is with the Haptic Communication Systems, TU Dresden,
01187 Dresden, Germany, and also with the Centre for Tactile Internet
with Human-in the-Loop, 01069 Dresden, Germany (e-mail: Giang.Nguyen@
tu-dresden.de).
Holger Boche is with the Chair of Theoretical Information Technology, TU
Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany (e-mail: holger.boche@tum.de).
Wolfgang Kellerer is with the Chair of Communication Networks, TU
Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany (e-mail: wolfgang.kellerer@tum.de).
Frank H. P. Fitzek is with the Deutsche Telekom Chair of Communication
Networks, TU Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany, and also with the Centre for
Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, 01069 Dresden, Germany (e-mail:
Frank.Fitzek@tu-dresden.de).
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/LNET.2023.3266863
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. For more information, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
169
communication. This led to a new customer base, namely the
verticals. In addition to latency, 5G has brought two further
groundbreaking changes.
Firstly, new communication architectures such as non-public
or 3D networks are supported parallel to the public cellular
networks. Secondly, in-network concepts from the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF), mainly for the Internet,
have been intensively incorporated into mobile communica-
tion systems. The latter increased the importance of software
in communication systems. Initially, only the backbone com-
munication components have been realized by software rather
than proprietary hardware boxes. Nowadays, even Radio Access
Networks (RAN) technologies are candidates for softwariza-
tion. Even though most people or industry sectors have yet to
experience the full 5G technology, researchers are starting to
think about 6G technologies [1]. Unfortunately, a clear defini-
tion of 6G communication networks has not been defined yet.
European flagship research projects such as HEXA-X [2] or
the 6G Platform Germany [3] have gathered leading industry
players and research institutions to develop such definition.
Often, researchers advertise 6G technologies without consid-
ering the upcoming releases of the 3rd Generation Partnership
Project (3GPP). This often leads to a misunderstanding in the
community about what 6G is. Release 16 and 17 will complete
Release 15, initializing the first wave of lifelike 5G technol-
ogy enabling most of the envisioned use cases, especially
those addressing low latency requirements such as machine-
to-machine communication, e.g., with mobile robotics. The
second wave starts with Release 18 (5G advanced starting
standardizations in 2022). Currently, Release 19 is looking for
new topics to be discussed in standardization.
Therefore, in this letter, we will first briefly list in Section II
the features that will be available in the upcoming 5G releases.
Then, in Section III, we will look at the current needs of the
verticals and whether the current releases meet these. From
the shortcomings of the current releases and the new needs
of the verticals and consumers due to the recent results, we
present possible use cases of 6G in Section IV. 6G can only
succeed if we build a communications system that serves the
needs of people or people-owned machines. Along the way,
we will examine what new opportunities are available to the
manufacturers and what role the network operators play in this.
II. W HAT W ILL 5G G IVE U S ?
To understand what 6G should focus on, a short description
of the feature and study list in 3GPP for ongoing 5G activities
is given. It is assumed that 6G will be introduced with Release
21 or higher. However, an earlier version can also be called
170
6G if the marketing departments of the companies want to
outbid each other.
• 3GPP Feature and Study Item list (Rel-15-17): Study
on Communication for Automation in Vertical Domains;
New radio, Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access; Satellite;
TLS; Edge computing; network slicing;
• 3GPP Feature and Study Item list (Rel-18): Satellite;
IoT; UAV; Sidelink; Proximity; Location and Positioning;
Smart Energy; Ad hoc Group communication; Enhanced
Network Slicing; eXtended, augmented, and virtual real-
ity; Railways; Tactile and multi modality communication
services; Self-organising Networks;
• 3GPP Feature and Study Item list (Rel-19:) Integrated
Sensing and Communication; Metaverse; Network
Sharing; AI/ML Model Transfer; Robots; Energy con-
siderations
We shall not forget the discussion and standardization of
non-public networks, which drive the establishment of local 5G
campus networks, support the market entry of fundamentally
new operators, and will lead to new ways of thinking for 6G.
III. C URRENT N EEDS OF THE V ERTICALS FOR 6G
To discover which areas to improve with 6G, we first need
to consider which vertical needs are already covered by 5G.
At the same time, we have to take into account what manu-
facturers can provide and what network operators are willing
to invest. In addition to the old consumer-customer front,
the verticals play an increasingly important role. Especially
in machine-to-machine communication, verticals emerge as
customers. Low latency, which 5G already achieves, plays a
significant role here. The new network architectures provided
by 5G also enable the verticals to implement their own use
cases. In general, it can be said that the current 5G applications
meet most of the needs of the verticals.
Manufacturers sell 5G legacy solutions to ensure the
network operates appropriately for the customer. This includes
providing low latency, high throughput, and adequate scalabil-
ity. In addition, support is provided by the network operators.
However, medium-sized companies usually need help to afford
these costs, and it is not profitable for manufacturers to build
such small networks. Furthermore, the sovereignty of these
networks is a point of contention, as the technology is sold in
black boxes.
Contradictory, 5G cheap low-end solutions are afford-
able and based on an open-source implementation. OpenRan
but also OpenCore implementations are already available.
However, these usually require constant support, as current
networks still need to be stable [4]. In addition, the entire setup
has to be done by the user. Performing all the steps yourself
requires a detailed understanding of the underlying code, espe-
cially on the RAN side. Thus, verticals remain dependent on
the expertise of network operators.
IV. 6G U SE C ASES
From the current needs of the verticals, we can derive some
use cases for 6G. At the same time, new needs are created by
current events that 5G does not yet cover. On the one hand, we
IEEE NETWORKING LETTERS, VOL. 5, NO. 3, SEPTEMBER 2023
Fig. 1. 6G technologies enabling the Metaverse to deal with omnipresent
challenges.
can use 6G to build on and improve existing 5G architectures
and use cases. On the other hand, 6G will form the basis for
satisfying the new needs of the verticals and consumers.
A. Towards 6G Private Networks – Getting Down the Costs
and Complexity
As mentioned in the previous section, private networks are
essential for the industry. However, 5G has yet to offer an
affordable solution for medium-sized companies and, at the
same time, configurable by the end user. Interfaces would
allow end users to configure their private network according
to their needs. This way, verticals do not have to pay external
network operators to set up their network, which saves costs
and human resources. Another point of improvement in pri-
vate networks is the security and sovereignty of the built-in
hardware and software. The Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der
Informationstechnik (BSI) is currently establishing guidelines
that will allow customers in Germany and later throughout
Europe, to verify the supply chain of their ordered compo-
nents. This verification, named IT-Grundschutz [5], will also
help manufacturers to verify their manufactured goods. The
Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) also provides
Network Equipment Security Assurance Schemes (NESAS)
that enable manufacturers to test their products more effec-
tively and automatically against security standards [6]. These
test schemes also increase transparency for the verticals and
network operators that buy the products. Affordable, easy-to-
configure, and secure private networks for verticals would be
the key selling factor for verticals. However, there is no rea-
son not to include these improvements to private networks in
a later 5G release.
B. The Metaverse – The Enabler for 6G Use Cases
Society has faced several significant challenges in recent
years, such as the global pandemic, the still persistent shortage
of skilled workers, and the aging society and, thus, the more
critical need for caregivers. Each of these challenges brings
its problems, but we see a common denominator that can help
all three: bring humans in the loop by connecting them and
their capabilities more closely. The Metaverse would be able
to address many of these issues (s. Fig. 1) while connecting
almost all technologies and use cases of 6G together in a sin-
gle killer application. In 2023 the revenue in the Metaverse
market is projected to reach US$54.95bn and by the annual
SCHWENTECK et al.: 6G PERSPECTIVE OF MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS, MANUFACTURERS, AND VERTICALS
growth rate of 36.71%, the project market volume will reach
US$490.40bn by 2030 [7]. 5G could be able to build the foun-
dation for the Metaverse in Release 19. Still, to implement all
the use cases in the Metaverse, new technologies are needed
that 6G can provide.
Quarantine during COVID-19 has created new needs among
end users for more immersive communication between each
other, which includes a better auditory and visual represen-
tation of the counterpart and the ability to transmit touches,
smells, or even tastes. New network architectures are needed
to capture all the required data from the five senses of humans.
This requires new sensors and actuators from the manufactur-
ers and new multi-model codecs for the different requirements
of haptic and smell-based communication.
A new network architecture in 6G could be Body Area
Network that can link different human body parts and ana-
lyze specific data. Molecular communication [8], [9], another
new technology in 6G, can be used to transmit data about
the human body or send information about smells and tastes
directly to the sensor. The new sensors and body area networks
allow us to digitize and store people’s skills. Through the
Metaverse, we can train other humans with digital information.
Humans can absorb the knowledge and learn the skills with
the teacher’s direct influence. This would not only be a solu-
tion to shortage in skills as there are more humans with
the required skills then, but also we can transfer knowledge
quickly and effectively on a global scale. To handle the amount
of information and at the same time guarantee the required
latency, we need to compute the data much closer to the user.
Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) can be the solution
here [10], [11].
However, through the Metaverse and the Tactile Internet, we
can not only connect humans with humans but also humans
with machines [12]. In the healthcare sector, it would be
possible for doctors to perform interventions remotely in
rural areas. Security and resilience are vital for a smooth
process of such delicate operations. 6G with quantum com-
munication can secure this communication by exchanging
unbreakable keys between two parties using quantum entan-
glement [13], [14]. The vulnerability against denial-of-service
(DOS) attacks of quantum key distribution (QKD) is described
in [15]. Additionally, quantum communication can reduce
latency even further for applications in the Metaverse.
In addition, we can use the Metaverse to support the care
sector. Sensors in clothing or pacemakers, for example, can be
used in conjunction with molecular communication to read out
medical data and inform the patient and doctor in advance of
any abnormalities. Together with location-independent medical
care, disorders can be treated remotely, thus reducing the need
for nursing staff. Robots with sensors and actuators can also
assist in the home and thus advance home automation.
C. Tackle the Energy Problem – The Hidden Obstacle for 6G
Suppose we strengthen the digital cohesion of people and
distribute the skills globally in the Metaverse. In that case,
people are no longer forced to travel long distances. Each
person’s ecological footprint can thus be improved and thus
counteract global warming. However, the Metaverse itself will
171
generate an enormous amount of data that must be transmitted
and stored. The influx of information comes from measur-
ing all human senses and from recording people’s skills. Both
will enormously increase energy consumption, which we can-
not afford due to the climate change. In addition, network
operators must be able to transmit these amounts of data with-
out the networks collapsing. To convey human senses over a
communication network with priorities, network slicing and
Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) are vital enablers. Also
Artificial Intelligence (AI) shows its effectiveness in manag-
ing and orchestrating cellular network resources [16]. AI will
become just as important, if not more so, in 6G as data vol-
umes increase and network resources become an even more
scarce resource [17].
Additionally, new technologies in 6G are needed to achieve
an overall positive energy balance. To accomplish this, Post-
Shannon, Joint Sensing and Communication, and quantum
approaches will reduce the information exchange dramatically,
enable cost and energy-efficient human-machine interaction,
and enable secure and low-latency communication, respec-
tively. Here we explain the basic idea behind the novel
approaches and refer the interested reader to the appropri-
ate literature: i.) Post-Shannon communication already shows
how the required traffic can be reduced enormously, espe-
cially in Digital-Twins applications [18], [19]. Completely new
goal-oriented communication tasks are implemented in the
Post Shannon Communication based on new coding schemes.
Compared to Shannon’s message transmission task, they
achieve much higher spectral efficiency and lower transmission
latency. Several interesting transmission tasks support even
secrecy for free [20]. Other novel decoding algorithms such
as Guessing Random Additive Noise Decoding (GRAND) can
also help to reduce energy consumption and the amount of data
transmitted [21]; ii.) In addition to the data transmission, we
must ensure that the data can be stored. Digitizing skills will
generate massive data, whereas conventional storage media
can become too expensive. DNA-based storage could offer a
solution here, as it provides enormous capacity [22]. Such stor-
age solution should be used to store, e.g., training data, which
are not needed that often nor need to be read out quickly; iii.)
Joint sensing and communication is already seen as a possible
feature of 6G. Combining radar sensing and communication
would help applications such as autonomous driving, traffic
monitoring, robotics, and drone control [23], [24]. The cus-
tomer will save hardware and energy costs if a component can
perform both sensing and communication tasks; iv.) Quantum
communication [13], [14] in public communication networks
will use quantum randomness, entanglement and teleportation
to increase the security and efficiency of 6G communication
networks.
In Table I, we have contrasted the cost of energy con-
sumed with gains in latency and security. In addition, we have
indicated when we can expect the release of the technolo-
gies. Only by effectively integrating all technologies into the
Metaverse can we meet desired needs while reducing energy
consumption. The optimization of digital twin representations
concerning communication- and computing complexity is here
of particular importance [18], [19], [25].
172
TABLE I
OVERVIEW OF D IFFERENT T ECHNOLOGIES FOR 6G W ITH R ESPECT TO C OSTS , E NERGY C ONSUMPTION , L ATENCY, AND S ECURITY.
↑↑ / ↓↓ - T REMENDOUS I MPACT, ↑ / ↓ - G REAT I MPACT,  /  - S MALL I MPACT, → - N O I MPACT
V. C ONCLUSION
In this letter, we have looked at the areas in which we need
6G at all. To do this, we first summarized what 5G will offer
us in current and future versions. Then we looked at the cur-
rent needs of the verticals and whether they are already being
met by 5G. Especially in the area of private networks, for
machine-to-machine communication, there still needs to be a
cost-effective and easy-to-configure solution. Enabling verti-
cals to configure their networks independently would make
them independent of network operators and thus save costs
and personnel. If 5G does not find a solution in later releases,
6G can start here.
However, we see innovations and use cases for 6G in the
Metaverse, which is becoming increasingly important due to
current situations such as the pandemic and shortage of skilled
workers. New technologies are needed to ensure extreme
latency conditions, store and transmit vast amounts of new
data, and establish secure connections while reducing energy
consumption and, thus, costs. 6G brings these new needed
technologies through Post-Shannon, Molecular, and Quantum
communication and Joint-Sensing and Communication. The
disruptiveness of 6G is represented in the human-to-machine
communication rather than the machine-to-machine commu-
nication introduced by 5G.
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