5G and the next gen 6G areas different as night and day
The race is on for the 6G network
5G and the next gen 6G areas different as night and day
- Basically, the difference between the current 5G networks and the future 6G networks is about structure. Whereas 5G is centrally managed, the 6G is fully distributed. It is like black and white, totally different.
Research fellow at Telenor Research, Kenth Engø-Monsen has sorted out one of the fundamentally prerequisite for the next generation networks. The problem to be solved is how do you introduce intelligence when you move from the centrally managed 5G to the fully distributed 6G.
- Imagine the difference. To-day algorithms work in big, central servers serving the network. In the 6G setting, data will be located in the local unit or censor.
Leading STREAM, the NorwAI work package for streaming and sensor-based AI data, Kenth Engø-Monsen and his team work on how a decentralized network can support tasks like detection, prediction and automation.
The first challenge is to draw a map to navigate in this new territory, according to Kenth Engø-Monsen. One current innovation goal for this research is applied anomaly detection; that is data mining identifying data points, events, and/or observations that deviate from a system’s normal behavior. Such data can indicate critical incidents, such as a technical glitch, or potential opportunities, for instance a change in consumer behavior.
- We are also looking into the security domain. Intruders and hackers are a growing concern to infrastructure providers. Businesses and government bodies have experienced fatal attacks over the last years, says Kenth Engø-Monsen and ads:
- Also, the use of AI and machine learning in resource constrained settings like for instance small sensors with a reduced lifespan, are of research interest. We also want to study the implications for the AI/ML methodology in the fully distributed case, says Kenth Engø-Monsen about the exciting race for the next generation network.
Internationally, huge research resources are currently being invested in defining and materializing 6G. NorwAI partner Telenor is engaged in many research activities, including multi-company European and other international projects, to explore the new possibilities.
All the big telecom players are involved. But it is also a race between countries and continents. The usual suspects like USA and China, and even India, Singapore and Japan have shown deep interest, including testing possible 6G technologies in space.
For the individual user and businesses 6G, according to Wikipedia, will be an even significantly faster network than 5G. 6G networks are expected to be even more diverse than their predecessors, and are likely to support applications beyond current mobile use scenarios, such as virtual and augmented realities (VR/AR), ubiquitous instant communications, pervasive intelligence and IoT.
Not to mention new, decentralized and data driven business models, intelligent automated management underpinned by mobile edge computing, artificial intelligence, short-packet communication and blockchain technologies.
The race is on.