6G Architectural Trends and Enablers

By 2030, the next generation mobile network (6G) is expected to be ready. Currently, as work on 6G is being ramped up, prospective technical components are being explored with objective to fulfil challenges and requirements expected for 6G. In this paper we address the important task of reevaluating and evolving the network architecture, to ensure that performance, e.g., data rates, coverage, energy efficiency, will support use cases, both current and future, while minimizing total cost of ownership (TCO). This task includes aspects of cloudification, where shared generic hardware replaces dedicated hardware to improve flexibility and reduce TCO, jointly with cloud-optimized network architecture, as well as more flexible deployments expected for 6G, for instance, macro base stations, mesh networks, satellites, private networks, and connectivity using sub-THz frequencies, which are expected for 6G. Given this range of deployments, the network will need novel procedures for mobility to ensure reliable and resilient connectivity with unprecedented performance.