ITU Publishes 6G Framework

ITU published a framework for the development of standards and radio interface technologies for 6G, it said Friday. Framework details were contained in “Recommendation ITU-R M.2160,” recently approved at a meeting of the ITU Radiocommunication Assembly in Dubai. ITU-R “will now focus on defining technical requirements, the submission process, and the evaluation criteria for potential 6G radio interface technologies,” a news release said: “For the next phase of 6G development, companies and industry associations will submit proposals for the IMT-2030 Radio Interface Technology for ITU-R consideration in early 2027. These submissions will then be evaluated against the agreed minimum requirements prepared by ITU's expert group on [international mobile telecommunication] systems.” The framework identifies 15 capabilities for 6G, nine of which were derived from 5G systems, ITU said. “IMT-2030 is also expected to help address the need for increased environmental, social and economic sustainability, and also support the goals of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.” The framework examines immersive communications providing “a rich and interactive video experience for users,” hyper-reliable and low-latency communications, “enhanced ubiquitous connectivity, especially in rural, remote and sparsely populated areas with the aim of bridging the digital divide,” massive IoT, the use of AI and “integrated multi-dimensional sensing to improve assisted navigation, and high-precision positioning including object and presence detection, localization, imaging​ and mapping.” By agreeing “on a way forward on 6G, ITU Member States have taken an important step toward ensuring that technical progress is synonymous with affordability, security, and resilience -- supporting sustainable development and digital transformation everywhere,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin.