A blog post by Dr. Monique Calisti, CEO of Martel Innovate
Over the past years, discussions about the future of mobile communications have significantly amplified. These conversations highlighted the fact that we stand on the brink of a technological evolution, from 5G to 6G and I realised that this transition raises a crucial question: Why do we need 6G when we haven’t fully realised the potential of 5G?
The world is moving at a fast pace and the technology/supply side is still not able to satisfy what on the demand side has become even more urgent, especially from an environmental, societal and economic point of view.
Our world is moving at an unprecedented pace, and current technologies are struggling to keep up with urgent societal demands. We need technologies that can:
- Minimise the digital divide
- Make essential services accessible to all
- Help save lives
- Better protect our environment
- Manage limited resources and processes more efficiently
Rather than a “new” generation of mobile communication networks, the society needs one that can deliver better connectivity. And better means a more inclusive, affordable, accessible, trustworthy, secure and sustainable one. Technologies are a means, not the ultimate solution. But how do we get there?
Learning from 5G: A roadmap for 6G
To build a better 6G, we must learn from both the successes and challenges of 5G. I think on the positive sidewe should consider various aspects:
- Increased Capacity and Speed: 5G has significantly increased network capacity and data transfer speeds, enabling new applications and services, several of which are essential.
- Reduced Latency: The low-latency capabilities of 5G have unleashed the potential of real-time applications, such as autonomous vehicles and remote surgery.
- Network Slicing: 5G’s ability to create virtual networks (slices) has enabled customised network services for different industries and applications.
- Massive IoT Connectivity: 5G has supported the growth of IoT-empowered applications across several sectors, by enabling massive connectivity across a significant number of devices.
However, several things did not go as planned:
- Deployment Costs: The initial deployment of 5G networks was costly, due to the need for new infrastructure and spectrum acquisition.
- Spectrum allocation: The allocation of spectrum for 5G has been a complex and very expensive issue, with different countries adopting varying approaches.
- Interoperability: Ensuring interoperability between different 5G networks and devices has been a challenge, as there are multiple standards and technologies in use.
- Security and privacy: The increased connectivity and data transfer speeds of 5G have raised concerns about security and privacy risks.
- Rural coverage: While 5G has made significant strides in urban areas, coverage in rural areas remains a challenge due to the higher cost of infrastructure deployment.
- Overall CO2 footprint!
So, when working on 6G we should improve in several ways:
- Early planning and coordination between industry, governments, and regulators.
- Spectrum efficiency should be prioritised to maximise 6G capacity and reduce costs.
- Security by design is a pre-requisite, rather than being an afterthought.
- A unified global standard for 6G can help ensure interoperability and reduce costs.
- Rural coverage: 6G should prioritise coverage in rural areas to bridge the digital divide.
- Sustainability by design for devices and infrastructures, helping bridge the digital divide and protect and regenerate the environment.
I believe that our society is not yet ready for another new technology when we have not fully digested the previous one. On the other hand, to pave the way and avoid past mistakes, we technologists should join forces with sociologists, sustainability experts, data and citizen scientists, regulators and economists to understand what is crucial for better acceptance of 6G compared to 5G. It depends on factors like awareness, understanding, trust, affordability, and cultural compatibility. Identifying factors that will influence acceptance of 6G and by proactively anticipating criticalities, we can expect to deliver technologies that are more likely to be accepted and embraced.
6G4SOCIETY: Embedding social and environmental values
At Martel, we’re tackling these challenges head-on through the 6G4SOCIETY project. This initiative aims to ensure that societal and sustainable values are properly embedded into the definition and development of 6G. This includes:
- Generating a better understanding and shared knowledge of the aspects influencing the public acceptance of 6G
- Supporting the development of a European consensus framework for a value-based, sustainable and ethics-driven approach towards 6G, based on a common set of KVIs and KSIs
- Engaging and reaching out to public audiences to build 6G social acceptance
- Empowering the 6G community to reflect EU policy and legislation into future network and services developments
We are working on defining a Technology Acceptance Model for 6G that can help understand and predict how users will accept and adopt this next-generation technology. This model can guide developers, policymakers, and businesses in creating strategies to enhance the acceptance and successful deployment of 6G networks. But what must be clear is that given the very low technology readiness level of 6G, several aspects about acceptance can only be predicted.
I believe that a holistic approach will be the most appropriate to guide the development of technologies that are more acceptable. Starting from Value Indicators that derive from Use Cases/Sustainability Needs, the idea is to identify which Technology Enablers must be used and/or developed. But then, once developed and deployed, we need to assess whether technologies deliver on the expected values. This is to either modify technologies or put in place mitigation measures.
6G’s role in building a sustainable world
6G is not just about building a faster, more efficient network; it’s about embedding sustainability into the very DNA: how it can drive positive environmental, societal, and economic change. Let’s break it down:
- Environmental sustainability: 6G can play a crucial role in reducing the carbon footprint of digital infrastructure. Energy efficiency will be one of key enablers. The higher data rates and improved efficiency promised by 6G should lead to lower power consumption per bit transmitted, especially if we prioritise the design of green networks from the start. Network technologies can also support renewable energy systems by enabling smarter grids that balance supply and demand more effectively, promoting energy storage solutions, and supporting carbon tracking mechanisms. Here, however, we should not neglect a potentially considerable rebound effect: to give just one example, old devices replaced by the new ones working on 6G will create a lot of e-waste, affecting most main planetary boundaries, including, and especially, biodiversity. Biodiversity protection and conservation are thus an indivisible part of the environmental dimension of sustainability considerations in the context of 6G.
- Societal impact: 6G has the potential to promote inclusion and equality. By extending reliable internet access to rural and underserved areas, it can help bridge the digital divide, giving millions of people access to education, healthcare, and socio-economic opportunities they’ve been deprived of. This aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the realms of quality education, reduced inequalities, and responsible consumption and production. Imagine how 6G could revolutionise telemedicine by enabling real-time remote surgeries or delivering augmented reality learning experiences in classrooms globally.
- Economic sustainability: Finally, and importantly, 6G can enhance sustainability in the economy. On the one hand, it can do so in industries through precision monitoring and management systems. From agriculture to manufacturing, advanced sensors and connected devices can help businesses operate more efficiently, reducing waste, conserving resources, and optimising processes in ways we can only begin to imagine. For instance, IoT-enabled agriculture could reduce water and fertiliser use, while autonomous systems could improve energy use in factories. On the other—consumers–hand, we should strive for resilience and especially circularity, this side connecting to the above point to handle the possibility of the rebound effect of 6G.
That said, to truly deliver on this promise, sustainability must be a guiding principle in the development of 6G technologies. It cannot be an afterthought, as it often was with 5G. We need to work closely with social and environmental scientists, policymakers, civil society, and lay people from the very beginning to ensure that the gains in connectivity don’t come at the expense of our planet.
Looking ahead: a vision for the future
As we move forward, we must ask ourselves: How can we ensure that 6G truly serves humanity and our planet? I see technology as a force for good—a tool that not only enhances our capabilities but elevates humanity by solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
I envision technology that is deeply intertwined with our societal needs and values, particularly in creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.
This means that technologies like 6G don’t just accelerate communication; they create more opportunities for all, reduce inequalities, and help address existential challenges like climate change. In this vision, we use data and connectivity not to exploit, but to empower. We will see technology enabling more empowered citizens on the margins (women, rural people, seniors), more personalised healthcare, more inclusive education systems, and more responsive governments. Imagine, for instance, smart cities that prioritise not just efficiency, but the happiness and health of their citizens, with real-time monitoring of pollution levels, resource consumption, and traffic flows to create environments that are safe, green, and pleasant to live in. Technology will also be key in addressing the climate crisis, helping us decarbonize industries, track emissions, and foster innovations in clean energy. We can dream of a world where sustainable technologies drive a new era of economic growth, one that decouples economic development from environmental degradation.
The answer lies in collaboration across sectors – governments, businesses, academia, and civil society must work together.
Achieving this optimistic vision requires collaboration across sectors—governments, businesses, academia, and civil society must work together to ensure that the benefits of technological progress are shared widely, rather than concentrated among a few. It requires us to embed ethical considerations into every stage of technological development. And it requires vigilance, as we must continuously monitor and mitigate the unintended consequences that will inevitably arise as these powerful tools evolve.
If we get it right, we’ll look back on this period not just as a time of great technological advancement but as a moment when we made a collective decision to harness that power for the greater good.
That’s my hope and this is what together with my team at Martel and Digital for Planet I try to contribute to.
