ITU defines structure for 6G development

At the beginning of the month, the ITU – International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations agency responsible for matters related to Information and Communication Technologies, announced a framework for the development of radio interface standards and technologies for the sixth generation of mobile systems, popularly known as 6G.

The IMT-2030 framework was approved by the ITU Radiocommunication Assembly during the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between 20 November and 15 December. The ITU will now focus on defining the technical requirements, submission process and evaluation criteria for potential 6G radio interface technologies.

With technological evolution, the IMT-2030 is expected to offer conditions for richer immersive experiences with improved coverage. In addition, IMT-2030 should support more usage scenarios compared to IMT-2020 and also respond to the demands of environmental, social and economic sustainability.

“Mobile communication is key to ensuring that everyone is well connected. By agreeing on the path that 6G should take, ITU member states have taken an important step towards ensuring that technical advances are synonymous with accessibility, security and resilience, supporting sustainable development and digital transformation around the world,” says Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary General.

During the next phase of 6G development, companies and industry associations will submit proposals for the IMT-2030 radio interface technology (RIT) that will be evaluated in early 2027 taking into account the minimum requirements defined by a group of ITU experts. The IMT-2030 framework presented by the ITU identifies 15 technological resources for 6G, nine of which are derived from current 5G systems. The aim is to have approved a final set of standards for 6G technology by 2030.

The expected usage scenarios for 6G are:

• Immersive communication to provide rich, interactive video experiences;
• Hyper-reliable, low-latency communication to expand the range of intelligent applications to areas such as telemedicine and energy systems management;
• Better ubiquitous connectivity, especially in rural, remote and sparsely populated areas, with the aim of reducing the digital divide;
• Mass communication with widespread use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications in smart cities, intelligent transport systems and sectors such as health, agriculture, energy and environmental monitoring;
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and communication to support AI applications;
• Integrated multidimensional sensing to improve assisted navigation and high-precision positioning for uses such as object and presence detection, localization, image generation and mapping.

All previous generations of mobile telecommunications – analogue cellular (1G), digital cellular (2G), IMT – 2000 (3G), IMT – Advanced (4G) and IMT-2020 (5G) – have also been standardised by the ITU.

Need for more bandwidth

During the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023, ITU member states agreed to review the global treaty governing the use of radio spectrum, both on Earth and in space. They recognised the need to update the Radio Regulations and identify new spectrum resources to support technological innovation, deepen global connectivity, expand access to and equitable use of space resources and improve security at sea, in the air and on land.

A total of 151 member states signed the WRC-23 Final Acts, which are a record of the decisions taken during the conference, including the new and revised provisions on the Radio Regulations.

Among the decisions, WRC-23 identified spectrum for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) that will be crucial for expanding broadband connectivity and developing 4G, 5G and, in the future, 6G mobile services. This new spectrum includes the 3300-3400 megahertz (MHz), 3600-3800 MHz, 4800-4990 MHz and 6425-7125 MHz frequency bands in various countries and regions.

It also defined the 2 GHz and 2.6 GHz bands for use by high-altitude platform stations as IMT base stations (High Altitude Platform Stations – HIBS) and established operating rules. This technology offers a new platform for providing mobile broadband with minimal infrastructure, using the same frequencies and devices as IMT mobile networks. HIBS can help reduce the digital divide in remote and rural areas and maintain connectivity during disasters.

For Earth Stations in Motion (ESIMs) providing fixed non-geostationary services, the conference identified new frequencies to offer high-speed broadband on board aircraft, ships, trains and vehicles. These satellite services are also critical during disasters in which the local communications infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.