Future Network Outlook

Ericsson's strategic intention towards 2030 addresses the evolving needs of public networks as well as the requirements for society- , mission-, and business critical networks as they have all become increasingly reliant on a digital infrastructure, extending beyond traditional telecommunications.

Four areas of drivers have been identified, see Figure 2, indicating the requirements for future 6G networks. These drivers reflect the need for networks to evolve beyond a mere communication tool, becoming integral to various sectors, including enterprise solutions. This strategic approach aligns with the broader societal shift towards digital transformation, positioning telecommunications infrastructure as a foundational element for future innovations and services across multiple industries.

The transition to 6G is anticipated to follow a similar pattern to the 5G rollout, building on and enhancing existing infrastructure.

Integration of new capabilities expanding the network's scope includes; compute, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Sensing as examples, see Figure 3.

This expanded framework, endorsed by ITU-R [1], represents a significant shift in network functionality. It moves beyond traditional communication services, positioning networks as multifaceted platforms capable of supporting a wide array of advanced applications.

The introduction of these new dimensions requires robust business cases and efficient mechanisms for market exposure thus ensuring that the technological advancements align with practical, market-driven needs.

The challenge lies in seamlessly integrating these new capabilities while maintaining and improving existing services. Such evolution aims to create a more versatile and powerful network infrastructure, capable of supporting emerging technologies and use cases in the cyber-physical realm.

Below Figure 4 describes a number of use case examples for the 2030 networks, corresponding to the drivers in Figure 2, and are composed of the services mentioned in Figure 3. Due to the breadth in the examples, overlap will exist.

Increased requirements on the network capabilities can be identified, such as increased Up Link (UL) capacity, improved positioning accuracy and coverage, and improved support for service guarantees, etc.

Above use case examples in relation to the broader changes in the network are outlined below, referred to as networking and technology trends, needed to enable them. Existing 5G use cases, e.g. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) will evolve into 6G.

Networks as platforms for connectivity and beyond

Ericsson envisions networks evolving beyond just connectivity, incorporating data processing and offering advanced services. This transformation, beginning with 5G/5G Advanced, includes capabilities like AI-driven sensing, enabling networks to serve as platforms for various applications, e.g. offering localization and reliable data links, to support technologies for drones and digital twins.

Performance differentiation

Currently, a lot of applications rely on best-effort mobile broadband (MBB), but there is a growing market for enhanced performance. Future networks must offer dynamic APIs and robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to predict and optimize performance. Mixed Reality is an application that would demand such capabilities, requiring seamless integration of digital and physical worlds.

Data and AI everywhere

AI and potentially Gen AI with large amounts of data may come to play a crucial role in optimizing network performance and assurance targeting reduction of operational costs. Massive digital twins exemplify on-network AI use, leveraging data for e.g. predictive analytics. AI models require lifecycle management, including training, deployment, and retraining, with an emphasis on transparency and accountability to build trust. Data will be crucial for AI/ML model training acting as a pipeline for refinement into a data pipeline for AI/ML.

Diverse requirements, diverse deployments

Future networks will exhibit increased heterogeneity in both radio access technologies and deployments. The enterprise market will likely see private networks integrated with public cloud solutions, while public networks will cater to diverse customer needs, from mobile broadband to critical communications.

Resilient networks

In the face of global challenges like climate change or geopolitical tensions, network resilience and cybersecurity are paramount. 6G systems must cope with a broader range of failures, ensuring seamless coverage and end-to-end service guarantees, especially for critical services.

Programmable Networks

The transition to programmable networks [2], [3] is driven by the demand for customized services. CSPs can leverage intelligent automation and real-time data for network optimization through Service Management and Orchestration Architecture. Intent-driven operations, powered by AI, will allow networks to autonomously execute desired outcomes, responding to dynamic consumer and enterprise demands.

Horizontalization

The telecom industry is facing another external trend of a shift from vertical to horizontal integration with multi-vendor interfaces across different layers. 

This trend is driven by network cloudification and the entry of Hyperscale Cloud Providers (HCPs) into the telecom space. This will also present new challenges in security, software management, etc. due to the hybrid environments created by the integration of private and public clouds.

Softwarization

The telecom sector is undergoing significant digitalization [4], with software increasingly replacing traditional physical functionality. This trend is characterized by:

• Faster deployment cycles inspired by IT DevOps and CI/CD methodologies
• Increased use of data-driven approaches, telemetry, and AI/ML functionality
• Enhanced programmability and customization
• Evolution of cloud-native solutions, complemented by specialized solutions for diverse applications
• Emergence of new processing platforms to address energy efficiency and performance needs introducing e.g. GPUs, FPGAs, AI ASICs, and SmartNICs into cloud infrastructure

E2E encryption

As we approach the 6G era, comprehensive end-to-end encryption is expected to become standard procedure. This shift will likely be accompanied by increased application control over network usage and information disclosure. The industry is already moving towards Zero Trust principles and exploring both Over The Top (OTT) encryption and Post Quantum Cryptography to enhance security measures.

Resource Efficiency

Sustainability remains a critical factor in network design and operation. This manifests itself in two main ways:

• Networks enabling sustainable use cases aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals [5]

• Optimizing resource consumption in network production and operations, considering factors such as spectrum, energy, materials, workforce, etc.

Digital Twins everywhere in society

Digital twins (DTs) are expected to play a central role in the cyber-physical continuum. In the context of networks, DTs will:

• Provide accurate representations of live networks for predictive analysis
• Improve performance across various use cases
• Assist in managing complex network deployments and topologies
• Support autonomous decision-making and optimized network control in future cognitive networks