First published June 2024, in Highlights Issue 08  

IMT-2030 Use Case Workshop: A Catalyst for 6G Planning

By Puneet Jain, TSG SA Chair

In a convergence of minds and expertise, two hundred delegates, accompanied by over three hundred and eighty online participants, convened for the '3GPP Stage 1 Workshop on IMT2030 Use Cases' from May 8th to 10th in Rotterdam, NL.

This gathering aimed to delve into the perspectives and priorities of operators, regional 6G research alliances, 3GPP partners, and other innovators regarding IMT-2030 use cases laying the groundwork for formal 6G standardization activities within 3GPP. The trigger was the finalization of the ITU-R vision framework document that enlists six overarching IMT-2023 Usage Scenarios:

• Immersive Communication
• Massive Communication
• Hyper Reliable & Low-Latency Communication
• Ubiquitous Connectivity
• AI & Communication
• Integrated Sensing & Communication

Source: SWS-240022 Workshop Update from ITU-R

The workshop primarily engaged organizations slated to participate in the initial 3GPP studies for 5G Advanced and early 6G. It provided a pivotal platform to discuss the requirements and potential use cases expected to be addressed by Release 20 6G Stage-1 Study Item(s).

Co-chaired by Jose Almodovar, the SA1 Chair, and myself, the workshop was meticulously coordinated by Alain Sultan, the WG SA1 Secretary of the MCC. On the concluding day, we delivered a comprehensive summary of the workshop's proceedings. While not yet indicative of any prioritization or ranking of 6G use cases at this nascent stage, the summary serves as a weathervane, delineating the areas under consideration,

Potential Drivers for 6G:

• Security and Trust: Spanning network security, user data confidentiality, service continuity, mitigation of emerging threats, and integration of quantum-safe security mechanisms.
• Support of AI/ML: Enabling intelligent network automation, performance optimization, AI-assisted enhancements in air interface and positioning, and facilitating AI at the application level such as AI as a Service (AIaaS) and media personalization.

• Immersive Communications: Facilitating extended reality, holographic, telepresence, multi-sensorial communication, digital twins, and the hyper-realistic metaverse.
• Sustainability: Addressing the environmental footprint of telecom operators through energy-efficient designs, reduced energy consumption, streamlined processes, and fostering circular economy practices.
• Ubiquitous and Resilient Coverage: Ensuring seamless coverage in remote and underserved areas for applications like smart agriculture and education, with enhancements including non-terrestrial, aerial, and maritime communications.
• Network Resiliency: Minimizing network outages and bolstering resilience against unexpected events such as natural disasters.
• Sensing: Leveraging communication infrastructure for human activity recognition, localization, environmental monitoring, and fostering intelligent sensing and communication coexistence.

Source: SWS-240025 Summary of the Workshop

Throughout the workshop, certain recurrent themes emerged, serving as catalysts for early ideation on 6G, including “Smart" everything, Voice over 6G, Fixed Wireless Access, Low Area Wide Area (LPWA)/massive IoT, Industrial IoT, Open Network Northbound APIs, Healthcare, Autonomous Driving, and Enhanced Positioning. These themes will fuel discussions as we embark on crafting the initial service requirements and KPIs for 6G features.

Next Steps in 3GPP:

Looking ahead, SA1#106 (May 27-31, Jeju - KR) will witness presentations from 3GPP Members outlining their perspectives on 6G Use Cases and study item aspects. This session will culminate in a decision regarding the initiation of one or several studies for 6G. Approval for SA1 6G SID(s) is targeted for the September 2024 plenary (TSG SA#105).

Furthermore, during TSG#107 in Korea in March 2025 (10-11), TSG-wide workshops will be convened, focusing on kickstarting the Release 20 study on the 6G radio interface and 6G core network architecture within the RAN and SA Working Groups, respectively.

Get the workshop presentations: www.3gpp.org/Stage1_IMT2030_UC_WS