Transition technologies towards 6G networks

• Published in: EURASIP journal on wireless communications and networking Vol. 2021; no. 1; pp. 1 - 22
• Main Authors: Raddo, Thiago R., Rommel, Simon, Cimoli, Bruno, Vagionas, Chris, Perez-Galacho, Diego, Pikasis, Evangelos, Grivas, Evangelos, Ntontin, Konstantinos, Katsikis, Michael, Kritharidis, Dimitrios, Ruggeri, Eugenio, Spaleniak, Izabela, Dubov, Mykhaylo, Klonidis, Dimitrios, Kalfas, George, Sales, Salvador, Pleros, Nikos, Tafur Monroy, Idelfonso
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 21.04.2021; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: 6G mobile communication; Artificial intelligence; Bandwidths; Communications Engineering; Enabling Technologies for Networks beyond 5G; Engineering; Free space optics; Free-space optics (FSO); Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); Integrated circuits; Key-performance indicator (KPI); mmWave; Mobile communication systems; Networks; Signal processing; Signal,Image and Speech Processing; Signaling; Terahertz (THz); User experience; Virtual networks; mmWave; 6G; Fronthaul; 5G; Softwarization; Backhaul; Key-performance indicator (KPI); Free-space optics (FSO); Terahertz (THz); Virtualization
• ISSN: 1687-1499; 1687-1472; 1687-1499
• DOI: 10.1186/s13638-021-01973-9

The sixth generation (6G) mobile systems will create new markets, services, and industries making possible a plethora of new opportunities and solutions. Commercially successful rollouts will involve scaling enabling technologies, such as cloud radio access networks, virtualization, and artificial intelligence. This paper addresses the principal technologies in the transition towards next generation mobile networks. The convergence of 6G key-performance indicators along with evaluation methodologies and use cases are also addressed. Free-space optics, Terahertz systems, photonic integrated circuits, softwarization, massive multiple-input multiple-output signaling, and multi-core fibers, are among the technologies identified and discussed. Finally, some of these technologies are showcased in an experimental demonstration of a mobile fronthaul system based on millimeter 5G NR OFDM signaling compliant with 3GPP Rel. 15. The signals are generated by a bespoke 5G baseband unit and transmitted through both a 10 km prototype multi-core fiber and 4 m wireless V-band link using a pair of directional 60 GHz antennas with 10° beamwidth. Results shown that the 5G and beyond fronthaul system can successfully transmit signals with both wide bandwidth (up to 800 MHz) and fully centralized signal processing. As a result, this system can support large capacity and accommodate several simultaneous users as a key candidate for next generation mobile networks. Thus, these technologies will be needed for fully integrated, heterogeneous solutions to benefit from hardware commoditization and softwarization. They will ensure the ultimate user experience, while also anticipating the quality-of-service demands that future applications and services will put on 6G networks.