LIVE FROM SAMSUNG 6G FORUM: Panellists in a 6G RAN session highlighted lower power consumption and increased network flexibility as key drivers as the industry works on the standards and sets expectations for the next-generation technology.

Takehiro Nakamura, SVP at NTT Docomo (pictured), noted improved sustainability of mobile networks was top of the agenda for 6G, with significant resources invested to reduce power consumption.

He highlighted efforts to expand geographic coverage, which was not fully addressed with 5G, to fill gaps in remote areas, the sea and sky.

Jeffrey Andrews, professor at the University of Texas at Austin, expects 6G to contain a few systems within a system, with different modes of operation. “We have this with 5G, but 6G will go much further.”

The future network will run in the lowest-energy mode by default and be able to switch gears to support wider coverage or high-bandwidth apps.

Andrews noted the industry will need to prioritise the many elements suggested for the future network.

Charlie Zhang, SVP of Samsung Research America, explained the industry doesn’t necessarily expect peak rates and latency requirements to be achieved at the same time.

“That’s going to change when we go to 6G.”

With services including digital twins and holograms coming, 6G will be expected to deliver both.

Qualcomm SVP John Smee believes the rise in consumer and enterprise AR and VR applications will require more distributed computing, expecting the amount of information exchanged at the edge of the network will be much larger than currently forecast.

Smee noted the shift is going to put increased demand on the future of mobile connectivity into the 6G era.