MWC23: ITU will complete vision for 6G and beyond in late 2023

How to connect people across the world? That’s an often-asked question. However, in ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin’s opinion, the answer relies on four key areas to prioritise, one of them being 6G development.

“We can’t separate technology from humans,” she said during a keynote at MWC23. “The best way to measure success in delivering internet connection is meeting the United Nations SDGs.”

In her view, there are four actions that the telecoms industry must take “right now” to accomplish those goals:

• 6G: The Secretary-General said that the ITU vision for 6G will include, for the first time, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability as part of the specifications of the new technology.
• Making radio-frequency spectrum available, sharing it, and associating RF with satellite orbit resources. According to her, these topics will be addressed at this year’s WRC. “The outcomes of that conference will shape the digital economy for the decade,” Bogdan-Martin said.
• Developing standards: the industry needs to speak the same languages and manage the integration of AI, the Internet of Things, and networks to make them more efficient and sustainable.
• School connectivity: Ensuring children will have access to the internet and enhanced education at the schools will be fundamental for meeting the SDGs.

“Failure is not an option, Bogdan-Martin said. “We have to make the SDGs real. There are 2.7 billion people unconnected. [in order to change that] We need an open, free, and secure future digital for all,” she concluded. 6G World