International Telecommunication Union Starts Development of 6G

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has announced its plans to start the development of standards and radio interface technologies for the sixth generation, popularly known as 6G.

The unveiled plans by the ITU are following the ‘IMT-2030 Framework’ by the ITU Radio Communication Assembly (RA-23) at its just concluded tech meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

Following the new framework, ITU's Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) will focus on defining technical requirements, the submission process, and the evaluation criteria for potential 6G radio interface technologies. 

Issuing more details on the new development of 6G technology, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary General, said,

• Mobile communications are central to our efforts to ensure that everyone is meaningfully connected. By agreeing on a way forward on 6G, ITU Member States have taken an important step towards ensuring that technical progress is synonymous with affordability, security, and resilience, thus supporting sustainable development and digital transformation everywhere.

It's said that the ITU-R Recommendation represents significant progress in the development and implementation of globally accepted standards for mobile systems using 6G. The ITU also said that all previous mobile telecommunications generations were also standard; on their list are analogue cellular (1G), digital cellular (2G), IMT‑2000 (3G), IMT‑Advanced (4G), and IMT‑2020 (5G).

Adding to what the ITU Secretary-General said, Mario Mankiewicz, Director of the ITU Radio Communication Bureau, said, 

• Terrestrial wireless systems to be developed under IMT-2030 are expected to drive the next wave of innovative radio communication systems, promote digital equity, and advance universal connectivity. The publication of the Recommendation on future 6G mobile technologies is a testament to ITU’s longstanding multi-stakeholder approach, which ensures the development of globally accepted technical and regulatory solutions.

In the meeting, it was discussed that in the unveiling of the next phase of the 6G development, companies, and industry associations will submit proposals for the IMT-2030 Radio Interface Technology (RIT) for ITU-R consideration in early 2027. After which, the submission will be evaluated against the agreed minimum requirements prepared by ITU’s expert group on IMT systems (ITU-R Working Party 5D), with the prospect of getting a final set of 6G technology standards approved by 2030, a report shows.

You can find other information available on the IMT-2030 website.

The IMT-2030 Framework Recommendation identifies 15 capabilities for 6G technology. Nine of those capabilities are derived from existing 5G systems. 

IMT-2030 is believed to address issues concerning increased environmental, social, and economic sustainability and also support the goals of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

About the ITU

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) that aids in pushing innovation in ICTs together with 193 Member States and a membership of over 900 companies, universities, and international and regional organizations.