PRESS RELEASE: On October 30th 2024, Dr. Wen Tong, Huawei Wireless CTO, delivered a speech titled with “6G Will Enable the Future of an Intelligent Society” at Mobile Korea 2024. Dr. Wen Tong shared his insights on 6G standardization directions and introduced innovations that are set to drive 6G standardization forward.
5G is a success and 6G is on track. Dr. Wen Tong shared the timetable of 6G standard, in which the first version of 6G standard is set to be frozen in 2030. He emphasized that, ” Day-one 3GPP 6G standard needs to adopt the disruptive technologies to enable a true generational capability improvement, its end-to-end architecture needs to embrace the quantum leap of AI revolution. Fundamentally, 6G is neither a mere extension of 5G technologies nor an alternative way to implement 5G. Simply reusing 5G network architecture without generational and fundamental innovation will limit the mobile industry’s aspiration and imagination to drive the innovation in the 6G era. Generative-Network is the new opportunity for operator to return to the applications creation business.”
In his speech, Dr. Wen Tong highlighted that the ultimate goal of 6G development is to realize connected intelligence. The vision is to see AI embedded in 90% of businesses, surpassing 90% of human experts in performance, and contributing to 90% of economic output.
Regarding the end-to-end design of the 6G network, Dr. Wen Tong illustrated how to integrate the transformative potential of the AI revolution on the Core, RAN, and UE sides. For the 6G core, Agentic-AI based technology should be considered to re-architect the 6G core, which should not be confined to the 5G-SBA but to embrace AI, sensing, and NTN capabilities. On the RAN side, 6G should incorporate AGI and embodied AI, rather than solely relying on generative AI for RAN design. For the UE side, Dr. Wen Tong emphasized that any 6G UE should be an AGI entity.
Another crucial aspect that Dr. Wen Tong shared in his insights is the “Total Integration of the Communications, Sensing and AI for the New Radio of 6G”. The concept aims to establish the foundational platform for 6G as a Digital Cousin equipped with RAN Self-Contained Sensing Data and Management. In this framework, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) will be pivotal. Much like AI, the integration of sensing and communication can be divided into two categories. Communication for Sensing, which involves using communication to facilitate cooperative sensing, such as reconstructing environments using digital twin technology. Sensing for Communication, which is used to boost communication performance and minimize power consumption by utilizing the self-contained RAN’s data and management capabilities.
Concluding his speech, Dr. Wen Tong addressed the relationship between 5G and 6G networks, stating, “We should focus on doing 6G right rather than rush. 6G should not be simply an extension of 5G but a new network architecture that fully embraces the aspirations and imagination of the mobile industry, fostering innovation in the 6G era. For the next five years or more, 5G and 5G-Advanced will sufficiently meet current operators’ requirements. Replicating 5G technologies in 6G is not the optimal investment strategy for operators. We should not underestimate the capabilities of 5G-A or the potential of 6G.”