Nokia sees new types of 6G connected devices facilitated by a “3 layer technology stack”
Nokia says they are seeing a growing demand for new types of wireless connected devices beyond just smartphones—things like smartwatches, health monitors, and even cars that communicate with each other. 3GPP has been working to keep up with these demands, expanding their standards to include these new types of devices and even satellite connectivity for when you’re out of range.
Some of these envisioned expansions have not had commercial market market success, sparking an industry rethink of cellular devices. The 6G era, however, offers an opportunity for the industry to support device proliferation and innovation that includes disruptive and yet to be invented devices.
Nokia sees several key developments are set to transform the cellular technology landscape:
- Advanced and more reliable connectivity: 6G promises not just faster internet but also improved support in challenging environments like remote areas or during emergencies. This might include satellite connections for when you’re out of the usual network range.
- IoT and sustainability: The Internet of Things (IoT) is set to become a major part of 6G. Devices with low-power wide-area (LPWA) connectivity will play a crucial role in making industries more efficient and sustainable. 6G must support LPWA features to anticipate 4G sunset and operators’ commitment to support LPWA services for 10+ years.
- Universal Connectivity: 6G will aim to unify different types of connections—like terrestrial networks and non-terrestrial networks—so that all devices can connect through a common air interface to achieve economy of scale and competitiveness.
- Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): This technology, which provides high-speed internet to homes and businesses, is expected to grow rapidly. 6G will need to support this expansion while also catering to emerging needs such as high-performance gaming, immersive virtual reality experiences and possible spectrum constraints.
- Energy Efficiency: Reducing energy consumption will be crucial. 6G will focus on making devices more efficient, especially for tasks like notifications and messaging, which will help address energy consumption goals.
A single Technology Stack will open the door for a bevy of new 6G devices that address the above requirements. To ensure a successful commercialization of 6G, the industry must take the 4G/5G learnings into consideration and specify a scalable Technology Stack that maximizes commonalities between the needs of different devices so that each device segment has the volume potential to become commercially successful. Such a stack would be composed of three layers:
- Basic Layer: This foundational layer will be common to all devices, supporting essential functions like low-power operation, small data transmission, notifications and emergency services that are compatible with both traditional and satellite networks.
- Broadband Layer: For devices that need high-speed data, such as wearables, traffic cameras and connected cars, this layer will ensure fast, reliable connectivity and minimal latency.
- Extreme Broadband Layer: This top layer will cater to advanced devices like smartphones and virtual reality systems, offering ultra-fast data rates, sophisticated physical world sensing and integration with artificial intelligence.
In this approach a chipset implementing a given layer must also implement all the layers below:
The aim of this scalable, modular technology approach is to streamline device compatibility and development. Initially, the focus will likely be on mobile broadband devices. However, a single Technology Stack introduces a scalable air interface, meaning that essential technology components for LPWA devices will already be developed, as they share features with mobile broadband devices.
This approach will likely lead to the emergence of three main chipset types: LPWA chipsets (covering the basic layer), broadband chipsets (covering both basic and broadband layers), and extreme broadband chipsets (covering all layers).
The greatest potential of a single Technology Stack lies in its ability to support a wide range of devices without requiring major network overhauls. This gradual and adaptable deployment ensures that as new devices come online, the existing network can handle them without significant upgrades.
Nokia concludes by stating that 6G specifications should have a scalable solution resulting in fewer chipset options. This objective can be achieved through a single and modular Technology Stack that cuts across three major chipset types. This approach will not only streamline device development but also encourage a healthier ecosystem of both current and future devices, including those that are still on the drawing board.
Editor’s Notes:
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Radio Access Network (RAN):
- Massive MIMO:To serve multiple users simultaneously with high capacity.
- Terahertz band spectrum:High-frequency bands offering extremely high data rates but with limited range.
- Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS): To manipulate radio waves for better signal propagation and coverage.
- Advanced modulation and coding techniques: To optimize data transmission efficiency.
- Massive MIMO:To serve multiple users simultaneously with high capacity.
2. ITU-R WP5D sets the RAN (RIT/SRIT) functional requirements for 6G while 3GPP generates the specifications to realize them as well as the core network. 3GPP specs are then rubber stamped by ETSI with the RAN related specs contributed to WP 5D to eventually become ITU-R recommendations (RIT/SRIT standards). That was the case for 5G with ITU-R M.2150 including 3GPP as well as other RIT/SRITs (from TSDSI 5Gi and ETSI/DECT for IoT).