As 5G technology begins to present itself commercially in 2019, the tech industry is already thinking about what's next and gearing up for the world's first 6G summit in March in Finnish Lapland.
The world's first 6G Wireless Summit will be held on 24-26 March 2019 at the Levi resort in Finnish Lapland. The summit's main aims are to identify key challenges towards 6G, and the potential applications, as well as drafting technical requirements and candidate technologies.
The summit programme will consist of a host of high-profile invited speakers from 5G and 6G research programs and initiatives around the world, including policy-makers, research institutes, operators, manufacturers and leading academics.
One of the summit's organisers is the 6G Flagship Ecosystem, a pioneering Finnish project that aims to support industry in the finalisation of 5G, develop fundamental technology needed in enabling 6G and to speed up the overall digitalisation of society.
6g Flagship Ecosystem
6G Flagship Ecosystem director Matti Latva-aho speaks at the group's launch in November 2018. Photo: Mikko Törmänen
The programme will have five or six strategic partners and between 50 and 100 other collaborators according to 6G Flagship director and University of Oulu professor, Matti Latva-aho. The Flagship programme was established by the University of Oulu along with Aalto University, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Joint Centre of Future Connectivity, itself a joint project between Nokia Bell Labs and Oulu University.
“Right now we are focused on bringing in the most important international players in the telecom industry. The main goal for 6G research is to figure out the requirements for the sixth generation and identify the relevant candidate technologies for the future. If 6G is projected to be reality some time in the 2030’s, we really need to start doing this now,” Latva-aho says.
Mr Latva-aho also pointed out that 5G research began in 2010. “That’s roughly a ten-year period of research. At this pace, we have until 2026 or 2027 to work on 6G,” he added.
The 6G Flagship's aim is for maximal impact through co-creation and innovation with a wide network of international partners and collaborators including major international players, such as Keysight and Nokia, as well as smaller companies like Bittium. The programme invites suggestions for joint research activities, realisation of demonstrations, preparation of project grant proposals, involvement in organisation of events and research staff exchange. The 6G Flagship experts also work with public authorities through joint initiatives, consultation, programme creation and preparation of reports supporting policy and decision making.
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