Europe seeks leading role in 6G as 5G rollout falters

Europe may still be lagging behind when it comes to 5G uptake, but attention is already turning to the race for the next generation of wireless technology and ensuring it delivers on its promises this time. When work began on 5G more than a decade ago, developers promised it would support applications ranging from self-driving cars to remote surgery, many of which have failed to materialise. “All that hype, and the slow rollout of 5G, maybe led to a bit more pragmatism when it comes to approaching 6G,” said Alain Mourad, senior director at global wireless technology company InterDigital. He says enhancements to 5G that are underway, known as 5G-Advanced, should make up 70% to 80% of 6G capabilities. The rest will be technology trends that “have not been on the radar of 5G” and can instead be seen as additions to the previous generation. In 2023, 80% of the European population was covered by at least one 5G mobile operator, compared to 98% in the US and South Korea, according to a report from industry group Connect Europe. Mario Draghi’s recent high-profile report on EU competitiveness warned that a lack of investment in connectivity could slow down the deployment of artificial intelligence systems and other drivers of economic growth. “The investment levels required to support EU networks are estimated at around €200 billion to ensure full gigabit and 5G coverage across the EU,” the report says. A major factor is Europe’s fragmented market: there are 45 mobile operators with more than 500,000 customers, compared to eight in the US and four in both China and Japan, according to Connect Europe. That leaves less room for those competing companies to invest in new technologies. For Mourad, the slow uptake is also about how 5G is used. End users were happy to stick with 4G because applications requiring 5G capabilities were not ready for mass adoption. “It wasn’t as much the technology, because the technology was definitely great in the way it differentiated from 4G,” he said. As the first plans for 6G are being drawn up, Mourad expects his company’s engagement with industries such as transport and manufacturing to be more productive, because of partnerships that began with 5G. In addition to working with partners from industry and academia in EU-wide efforts, InterDigital has bilateral partnerships with universities including University Carlos III of Madrid, Imperial College London, and University of Stuttgart. This includes sponsoring PhD programmes, postdocs, and visiting professorships. The central role of connectivity in economic competitiveness and technology sovereignty prompted the EU to launch the Smart Networks and Services joint undertaking (SNS JU) to boost 5G deployment and 6G development. The SNS JU has an EU budget of €900 million for 2021-2027, which will be at least matched by industry. This is a unique effort of which Europe should be proud, said Mourad, whose company was awarded five projects in the first phase of the partnership. “I don’t think any other region in the world has a similar programme, bringing the industry and the public institutes together,” he said. International collaboration with countries such as South Korea, Japan and the US is also part of the SNS JU’s strategy. The EU and US through the Trade and Technology Council have adopted a common 6G vision which will see the partners collaborate on research. 6G timeline Work to identify potential uses of 6G that should guide its development began earlier this year, said Jan Ellsberger, director general of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). ETSI is a founding member of 3GPP, the global partnership that’s responsible for developing standards for 6G and earlier generations of mobile technology. The 6G standards should be ready around 2029 – 2030, Ellsberger said. Once standards are released, it usually takes around two years before products arrive on the market, meaning 6G technologies can be expected around 2031 or 2032. “It all depends on market demand and the willingness to invest in new technologies,” Ellsberger said. ETSI, which has more than 900 members from Europe and beyond, including companies, research entities and public organisations, carries out its own pre-standards research that it then puts forward to 3GPP. Mourad, who is on the board of ETSI says, “We are trying to get ETSI to support the 6G SNS programme so the research that’s happening in all these projects doesn’t just stay in these projects, but we try to support them at ETSI, to streamline them and pave the way for a better impact in standards organisations like 3GPP.” Ongoing research suggests 6G networks will be “more intelligent and autonomous”, and could enable the integration of artificial intelligence and new applications related to the Internet of Things, Ellsberger said. “6G will most likely support an even higher number of connected devices per square kilometre, which will facilitate applications for smart cities, healthcare, etc.,” he said, noting however that it is difficult to predict what will be included in 6G standards. 6G’s combination of high data rates and speed of data transmission could also enable more immersive virtual reality applications, hologram devices, and digital twins. Countries including China, India, South Korea and the US are all jostling for a leading position in 6G. While Europe is facing major obstacles, Ellsberger believes the presence of leading companies like Ericsson and Nokia, and the heritage of the continent’s leading role in developing 2G in the 1990s, will be important factors. “By tradition, we are a world leader when it comes also to 6G research and innovation, so Europe, in my view, is still in the lead. But of course, there’s some big competition,” he said.Read More