6G Wireless Summit 2020

Expert Groups A

Workshop on 19 March 2020

1. 6G Drivers and UN SDGs led by Marja Matinmikko-Blue

Key drivers for 6G research towards 2030 are elaborated further. The relevant UN SDGs will be transferred into tangible drivers and KPIs for 6G research in a multi-disciplinary way.

2. Validation and Trials for Verticals led by Ari Pouttu

Verticals will be setting specific requirements for 6G deployments. They will also involve some application technology features that require detailed R&D before integration to overall system design. Understanding the diverse requirements is critical also for the design of validation platforms. Generation of real systems data will be critical also for the development of various ML/AI based applications and system optimization methods. 

3. Machine Learning in Wireless Communications led by Samad Ali

The objective of this group is to provide the vision and future directions of research for machine learning in wireless communications. The aim is to move from the hype to reality and to find the key areas where machine learning can solve wireless communications problems and be integrated into wireless system design.

4. Networking led by Tarik Taleb

This group aims to investigate advanced features relevant to networking that would shape the evolution beyond 5G. Hereby, the group will study the advancements and implications introduced by the evolution of softwarization, agile control and deterministic services. It will also overview the key technologies that constitute the pillars for the evolution beyond 5G, considering micro-service oriented core network, native IP based user plane, network analytics and the support of low latency – high reliability transport layer.

5. Broadband Connectivity for 6G led by Nandana Rajatheva

This group focuses on relevant methodologies, including new waveforms and coding schemes, for high bit rate connectivity up to terabit range. For short distance in the range of tens of meters, novel forms of beamforming and resource allocation will be discussed taking into account novelties such as cell-free massive MIMO.

6. RF & Spectrum led by Aarno Pärssinen

High data rate 6G systems will be deployed significantly higher frequencies than current 5G systems enabling sensing and radar functionality integrations with communication radios. New spectrum allocations of 6G systems will face new technical challenges and regulatory requirements and this group focuses on these mentioned questions.

Expert Groups B

Workshop on 19 March 2020

7. Connectivity for Remote Areas led by Harri Saarnisaari

Unserved, underserved and badly served (low QoS) areas form the digital divide and are often in remote areas. This group thinks how 6G should be developed to serve those areas as efficiently as possible taking into consideration practical limitations e.g. in fixed internet connectivity, electricity grid availability and economic constraints.

8. Business of 6G led by Seppo Yrjölä

This group will utilize a scenario planning method to think about plausible alternative futures. By focusing on key drivers of change, their interactions, and irreducible uncertainties, scenario building generates futures within which we can design and evaluate alternative 6G business scenarios and business models of the future.

9. Edge Intelligence led by Ella Peltonen

The Edge Intelligence group focuses on algorithms, systems, and services, that make it possible to run effective, real-time data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in the edge computing environment. Possible topics include network structure and management, data management and resource sharing, task distribution, and novel algorithmic solutions and optimisations for the real-time, edge-native intelligence.

10. Trust, Security and Privacy led by Mika Ylianttila

This expert group addresses fundamental research challenges in the areas of trust, security and privacy for the era beyond 5G systems and 6G. The roles of trust, security and privacy are somewhat interconnected, but different facets of next generation networks. Some of the 6G threat vectors are inherited from 5G, but there are also new threat vectors which emerge from the novel radio technologies in THz band and further network densification which follows. The current 5G standard does not address the issue of quantum computing, but relies on traditional cryptography. The development towards cloud and edge native infrastructures is expected to continue in 6G networks. The challenges in creating a trustworthy 6G are multidisciplinary spanning technology, regulation, techno-economics, politics and ethics.

11. Critical and Massive MTC towards 6G led by Nurul Huda Mahmood

The growing and diverse application of IoT means that critical and massive MTC will play a dominant role in 6G networks. The working group aims to establish an over-arching vision for the evolution of MTC towards 6G by identifying the most relevant use cases, requirements and enabling technologies.

12. Localization and Sensing led by Carlos Lima

6G systems and beyond operating at the mmWave and THz frequency range impose daunting technological challenges, while offering great opportunities. In this context, this working group will look at novel localization, sensing and imaging methods aiming to enable new services and improve the operation of such future wireless communication systems.