1、RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GCONTENTSRESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6G.1INTRODUCTION AND MARKET OVERVIEW .1CURRENT 6G DISCUSSIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS .2DEFINING RESILIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF 6G NETWORKS.5WHAT IS MISSING FOR RESILIENT NETWORKS AND HOW IT CAN BE DEVELOPED.9CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.12RESILIENT NE

2、TWORKS IN 6GAnalyst:Dimitris Mavrakis,Senior Research Director Content Manager:Malik Saadi,Vice President,Strategic TechnologiesINTRODUCTION AND MARKET OVERVIEW Every 10 years,a new cellular generation is launched,enhancing user experiences with faster speeds,new features,and better energy efficienc

3、y,while increasing value for consumers and businesses alike.These advancements tackle challenges in society and businesses,boosting lifestyle quality and business profits.For example,2G brought mobile voice and Short Messaging Service(SMS),3G introduced mobile data,4G enhanced it to Mobile Broadband

4、(MBB),and 5G offered consistent data coverage in high-demand areas.Figure 1 summarizes the standards and commercialization timelines of cellular generations from 2009 to 2028.Typically,the time between the completion of a telecoms industry standard and the activation of the first network is between

5、12 and 18 months.For instance,with 5G,deployment began even before the full standard was finalized.The initial part of the 5G standard,the early drop of Release 15,was established in March 2018.Shortly after,in April 2019,SK Telecom initiated 5G services,followed by the completion of the full 5G Rel

6、ease 15 specification in June 2019.Additionally,the adoption rate to RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6Greach 1 billion subscribers is accelerating:while 4G took 6 years to hit this milestone,5G managed it in just 3 years.Figure 1:Cellular Generation Development and Commercialization (Source:ABI Research)Every

7、 new generation introduces new features and improvements compared to previous networks.This is also valid with 6G,which is now positioned as an evolution of cellular networks and will aim to create the foundation for trustworthy,safe,and resilient networks.But before we discuss these features and ho

8、w they will be enabled by 6G,it is necessary to discuss the timeline for 6G and how it is being designed.CURRENT 6G DISCUSSIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS 6G discussions have already started in The 3rd Generation Partnership Project(3GPP),where mobile operators,equipment vendors,component providers,and many o

9、ther parties in the cellular supply chain are discussing what technologies 6G will consist of and what problems it will aim to solve.There have been discussions about how 6G should be designed and radical concepts have been presented.However commercial,sustainability,and financial priorities are cur

10、rently prevailing,toning down the disruptive ideas and concepts.The formal work plan for 6G is presented in Figure 2.StandardsCommercial Activity5G4G2008201220162020202420282032Release 8March 2009Release 10June 2011Release 13March 2016Release 15Early drop:Mar 2018Main drop:Sep 2018Late drop:June 201

11、9Release 18June 20246GRelease 212028First LTE network Sweden,December 20091 billion subscriptionsend of 20151 billion subscriptionsend of 2022First 5G networkSouth Korea,April 2019Release 19End of 2025RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GFigure 2:6G Standards Development Timeline (Sources:InterDigital,3GPP)6G IS

12、 POSITIONED AS AN EVOLUTION OF 5GCurrent industry discussions indicate that 6G will be an evolution of 5G,rather than a completely new network with new technologies,new applications,and use cases.This translates into several implications:6G will not likely introduce any new air interface and will li

13、kely utilize Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing(OFDM)and Massive Multiple Input,Multiple Output(mMIMO),like 5G.There are discussions in 3GPP for new air interfaces,but 6G will most likely build on 5G technologies.6G will also be powered by the Service-Based Architecture(SBA)5G introduced,wit

14、h several improvements.6G is now being positioned to enable the use cases 5G did not,due to commercial,technical,and other market barriers.6G will focus more on sustainability and value creation,rather than technology performance only,as was the case with previous generation networks.What to Expect

15、for the 6G TimelineNOTE:Dates for Release 20 and Release 21 are not discussed/approved in 3GPP.This figure shows an approximate timeline for 6G work and is not an approved official timelineMore detailed information on 6G planning can be found here:https:/www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_ran/TSG_RAN/TSGR_102/Doc

16、s/RP-233985.zip#96Release 19Release 18#98e#100#102#104#106#108#110#112#114202420252027#99#101#103#107#109#111#11320262028#105#97-e2023#92-e#94-e#95-e#93-eMar.#91-eTSGsMar.Mar.Mar.Mar.Mar.Jun.Jun.Jun.Jun.Jun.Jun.Sep.Sep.Sep.Sep.Sep.Sep.Dec.Dec.Dec.Dec.Dec.Dec.Release 20Release 21Release 216G normativ

17、e workProduce first set of 6G specificationsCompletion before 2030Stage 1Workshop IMT2030 use casesMay 2024Release 20Start of 6G studies in RAN and SA Stage 1 6G SIDSA2 and RAN WGs SIDs expected to be approved in June 20256G workshopMarch 2025Stage 3 completionand ASN.1 FreezeStage 1Stage 1 SIDs(5GA

18、)SA/CT+RAN workStage 2 and RAN 6G SIDsRESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GThere are many reasons for this decision,the most important of which is mobile operators reluctance to invest in a completely new radio networkwhich would cost billionswithout a clear Return on Investment(ROI).In other words,mobile operat

19、ors are seeking innovative monetization strategies and sustainable infrastructure for 6G to ensure a successful and profitable deployment of next-generation networks,building on the valuable lessons learned from their 5G experiences.It is not yet clear that 6G will break this barrier,so operators ap

20、pear to be unwilling to invest in a new radio network.Nevertheless,there are a few ambitious concepts being discussed in 6G R&D circles and in 3GPP that could potentially revolutionize cellular networks.Ambitious 6G Concepts6G discussions include a range of new technologies that have not been commer

21、cially implemented or sometimes not even discussed in the context of cellular networks.Some of these innovations are being explored in 5G-Advanced(5G-A),laying the groundwork for 6G,and include the following:Integrated Sensing and Communications(ISAC)merges mobile network operations with radar-like

22、sensing,aiming to utilize existing mobile spectrum for both functions.This is an ambitious concept that has already been implemented in non-standardized and proprietary versions in China.There is significant development ahead for ISAC to be standardized in areas including:integrating both communicat

23、ion and sensing in one platform without sacrificing performance in each of them;processing and algorithms;and applications and monetization opportunities for operators.NativeArtificialIntelligence(AI)will allow networks to be fully automated and able to react to any threat and condition.This is esse

24、ntial for reducing network costs,simplifying management,lowering carbon emissions,and enhancing user experience.3GPP is advancing numerous AI/Machine Learning(ML)initiatives across the Radio Access Network(RAN)and system working groups,including model development,5G system enhancements,air interface

25、 optimization,and network management.Finally,theubiquitousconnectivityconceptwill translate to cellular coverage across urban and rural settings,both indoors and outdoors.Building on 5G-A integration of Non-Terrestrial Networks(NTNs),such as satellite constellations,commercial advancements now enabl

26、e Low Earth Orbit(LEO)constellations to directly connect with smartphones.6G plans to evolve into a“network of networks”by merging diverse access technologies like satellite,cellular,and Wi-Fi to provide consistent connectivity for all users.WHAT WE LEARNED FROM 5G CHALLENGES AND MISSTEPS IN DEPLOYM

27、ENT Three years after launch,with 1.6 billion subscribers,5G is deemed successful.However,well over 95%of mobile operator service revenue still stems from consumer services,with enterprise contributions remaining minimal.The main reason is the longstanding focus RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6Gon the consum

28、er market,selling standardized services to a large customer base via the Subscriber Identity Module(SIM)card model.The enterprise sector,in contrast,is highly specialized and fragmented,requiring industry-specific expertise and resources that operators have struggled to develop due to the associated

29、 risks,capital requirements,and shareholder approvals.For instance,deploying 5G in manufacturing demands an in-depth understanding of unique industry challenges.Additionally,early 5G networks were primarily designed for consumer applications using Non-Standalone(NSA)access,complicating the transitio

30、n to 5G Standalone(SA)and 5G-A,which are better suited for enterprise needs.The initial success of NSA,which allowed 5G networks to leverage existing 4G infrastructure to expedite deployment,has made operators hesitant to invest in SA.While an upgrade,SA demands significant capital and effort for in

31、tegration.A challenging economic environment has further dampened enthusiasm for SA,with a lack of enterprise demand stalling its rollout.This situation has created a cycle of limited SA deployment,primarily seen in developed markets,and undertaken through incremental upgrades.Additionally,private c

32、ellular networks,seen as a significant opportunity for business and mission-critical applications,have struggled to gain traction due to the diverse and specific needs of enterprises,a challenge the telecoms industry has yet to effectively address.Despite these setbacks,the industry is preparing for

33、 6G,which could unlock new potential in both consumer and enterprise markets.All of these 5G challenges and improvements have now made the industry very cognizant of the pitfalls of rushing new technology to market,especially if it does not come with a clear business and commercial model.This is why

34、 6G will be developed with caution and will be driven by value creation more than just targeting performance enhancements.However,a new type of discussion is now taking place,one that aims for 6G networks to be resilient in many domains to ensure consistent and uninterrupted operation.DEFINING RESIL

35、IENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF 6G NETWORKSResilience in the context of mobile communications can be easily defined as being able to provide adequate communication quality in the face of adverse challenges,including natural disasters,hardware failures,cyberattacks,and increased demand due to unplanned event

36、s.There are several ways resilience can be achieved,and has been achieved,to a certain extent,with current cellular networks:RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GRedundancy:Several parts of the network are redundant,especially in the core network and the control plane.Energy systems that power cellular networks

37、almost always have redundancy,even at cell sites.However,todays networks have several points of failure,most importantly the last mile,which,if interrupted,will completely disrupt all services to end users or devices.Scalability:Cellular networks need to be scalable and increase or reduce their reso

38、urces when needed,in a cost-efficient,rapid,and efficient manner.This is true to a certain extent today,but network operators rely on their suppliers and partners completely.If one of them is acquired,facing financial hardship or supply chain constraints,network scalability is at risk.This raises th

39、e question of supply chain resilience,which will allow operators to swap vendors without compatibility or interoperability issues.Robustness:Although many parts of the network are redundant,the network itself needs to be designed in a carrier-grade manner because,in some cases,it enables emergency s

40、ervices and other critical features.The design of cellular networks is hardened in both physical and virtual domains with failover and other safety mechanisms built in.However,even the most advanced networks will fail if a significant event happens,as illustrated in many network failures due to sign

41、aling storms,cyberattacks,human error,configuration errors,and many other issues.The list above illustrates that even though todays mobile networks are designed to be robust,scalable,and resilient,they fall short if multiple pieces of the technology,commercial,or supply chain puzzles are removed.Thi

42、s can be addressed through improving specific parts of the network stack,as well as the supply chain.TECHNOLOGY RESILIENCYCellular networks are robust and designed to operate with a 99.999%uptime guarantee,meaning they can only be inoperable 6 minutes every year.But to ensure they are resilient in t

43、he face of natural disasters,coverage problems,foreign interference,and other challenges,will require significant upgrades.Figure 3 illustrates a few examples of what technology resiliency would translate into.6G aims to address these domains,with multiple discussions taking place on national,R&D,an

44、d standards levels.Naturally,operators that will deploy these resilient 6G networks will require clear ROI strategies,but a fully resilient network may need to come at the expense of sustainability and overall network Capital Expenditure(CAPEX),something that operators may not be ready to discuss,es

45、pecially in the current financial environment.This means that the discussions for these networks are still at a very early stage.RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GFigure 3:6G Technology Resiliency Pillars (Source:ABI Research)TechnicalConstraintsNetwork resilience will likely translate to a network that is ve

46、ry tightly integrated so that security and failover parameters remain on a very high level.However,this may fall to the other end of the scale,especially when considering a few current market trends,including the following:Open APIs are a hot discussion topic in the market,aiming to open network fun

47、ctionality to third parties and application developers for the enterprise.This may contradict with the concept of resilient networks that aim to operate within very strict operational limits.However,there are ongoing debates claiming that open networkspowered by Open RAN and Open Application Program

48、ming Interfaces(APIs)will lead to full technical and supply chain transparency,making security risks lower and resilience more attainable.A network that provides resilience for a specific user group may sacrifice performance and reliability for other users.In the context of todays networks,the group

49、 that would be most affected by this would be consumers,who would likely connect to a lower quality service to ensure resilience for others.This goes against current mobile operator commercial priorities prioritizing consumers in their business cases.In a similar fashion,resilience in the network ma

50、y translate to lower latency and performance in comparison with a non-resilient network,something that also goes against current operator tactical and strategic priorities.For example,resilience will likely require zero-trust networking across the network,which may lead to massive processing require

51、ments,impacting low latency services.Cellular Network Technology ResiliencyDecentralized Network with Multiple Air InterfacesDevices will be able to utilize multiple networks to enable communication in adverse conditions.This may include cellular,Wi-Fi,satellite,and other technologiesThe control of

52、this network will likely be decentralized,offering resilience in case one control point is disrupted.Autonomous and AI-Driven Network OperationsThe network needs to be powered by autonomous systems,and powered by AI,which can adapt to any condition and proactively manage the network.Native AI will l

53、ikely be infused in the network,using a centralized platform for multiple use cases and apps.Secure in Both Physical and Cyber DomainsCybersecurity will need to be systematically integrated into the standard,rather than introduced as a secondary priority.Systems will need to fail without implication

54、s,and recover gracefully and quickly,especially as complexity and attack surfaces increase.Distributed Edge Intelligence Intelligence and AI/ML inference points will be distributed throughout the network for running multiple applications.Edge locations will provide lower latency,higher resilience,an

55、d a more densified application processing platform for new types of applications.RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GThere is also the question of enabling resilient networking across multiple network domains,including between Terrestrial Networks(TNs)and Non-Terrestrial Networks(NTNs).Although there are techni

56、cal mechanisms to enable this todaymostly proprietary and not standardizedthe commercial agreements required to enable such a service on a national or international level would be complex and cumbersome.These are a but few topics that need to be addressed before the topic of resilient networks is fu

57、lly developed.The points presented above are real challenges that will likely be swiftly addressed if a tangible and large enough commercial opportunity appears in the market.SUPPLY CHAINPerhaps an even more critical resiliency aspect of networks is that of supply chain resilience,especially with ge

58、opolitics balkanizing the supply chain to Eastern/Western markets.Western operators are only left with a handful of vendors,only a few of which are capable of large-scale national contracts.This creates significant risk and uncertainty in the face of upstream supply chain constraints,where products,

59、components,or even raw materials could delay or even halt the deployment of a new network.There are many similar examples where operators delayed their deployments due to technical and commercial challenges their vendor faced in the past.With lower vendor choice,this will become even worse.The natur

60、al answer to supply chain resiliency is Open RAN and an open supply chain,where operators can select from a much wider range of vendors for multiple domains of the network.For this to reach maturity,integration,testing,and technology development will need to progress with Open RAN to ensure that no

61、significant integration effort is necessary when choosing multiple vendors.Automation and AI will also play a big role in this aspect,ensuring the network remains orchestrated and integrated despite the number of vendors involved.The issue of standards is also a potential challenge,on two fronts.On

62、one hand,there are now fears of industry standards being developed in two branches between East and West,but it is unlikely that either region will decide to branch out from 3GPP.The second challenge is that there needs to be a commercial and implementation balance between standardization and intero

63、perability certification.The latter domain is achieved through testing,which may become a potential bottleneck until the industry determines how interoperability should be implemented and how interoperability testing can be industrialized.GOVERNMENT/NATIONALThere are now many articles and government

64、 announcements,including a U.S.joint statement citing that principles should include:“6G technologies that are supported by secure and resilient technology as part of a wider secure trusted communications ecosystem,facilitating the ability of participating governments and partners to protect nationa

65、l RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6Gsecurity.”The U.S.joint statement also cites that 6G must be developed by organizations that prioritize security and resilience using industry-accepted standards,interfaces,and specifications.This statement was announced jointly with the governments of the United States,Aus

66、tralia,Canada,the Czech Republic,Finland,France,Japan,the Republic of Korea,Sweden,and the United Kingdom.There are also many other similar requirements,including privacy,sustainability,secure supply chains,and the ability to help industry verticals digitally transform.Resilience in the context of a

67、 government application means that the network will need to follow perhaps the most stringent security and resilience requirements,especially if it is positioned for critical national communications.All previous areas,including technology,supply chain,and many other domains,will need to be augmented

68、 if critical information is to be transmitted over these networks.Although this is achieved today with encryption on top of the communication link,it would be possible to create a system that fulfills all these requirements by design.WHAT IS MISSING FOR RESILIENT NETWORKS AND HOW IT CAN BE DEVELOPED

69、Previous sections discussed what resilience means,but not how to achieve it.This section aims to cover this topic,assessing what necessary steps the industry will need to take to achieve resilient networks.However,these recommendations and next steps are merely advice that the industry could take;th

70、ere are conflicting strategies,national agendas,commercial rivalries,and many other aspects in building cellular networks and the recommendationsas well as the definitions presented abovefor resilient networks may take a completely different direction in the years to come.In any case,as of 2024,belo

71、w is a selection of activities that the industry could take to progress in terms of resilience.TECHNICAL DIVERSIFICATIONThe technological side of resilient networks must be developed further,branching off from existing development and deployment paradigms to offer coverage and a consistent communica

72、tion fabric among multiple domains.Table 1:Ubiquitous Coverage Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)2024 ABI Research The material contained herein is for the individual use of the purchasing Licensee and may not be distributed to any other person or entity by such Licensee including,without l

73、imitation,to persons within the same corporate or other entity as such Licensee,without the express written permission of Licensor.11 CR-6GW-101:RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6G Canada,the Czech Republic,Finland,France,Japan,the Republic of Korea,Sweden,and the United Kingdom.There are also many other simil

74、ar requirements,including privacy,sustainability,secure supply chains,and the ability to help industry verticals digitally transform.Resilience in the context of a government application means that the network will need to follow perhaps the most stringent security and resilience requirements,especi

75、ally if it is positioned for critical national communications.All previous areas,including technology,supply chain,and many other domains,will need to be augmented if critical information is to be transmitted over these networks.Although this is achieved today with encryption on top of the communica

76、tion link,it would be possible to create a system that fulfills all these requirements by design.4.WHAT IS MISSING FOR RESILIENT NETWORKS AND HOW IT CAN BE DEVELOPED Previous sections discussed what resilience means,but not how to achieve it.This section aims to cover this topic,assessing what neces

77、sary steps the industry will need to take to achieve resilient networks.However,these recommendations and next steps are merely advice that the industry could take;there are conflicting strategies,national agendas,commercial rivalries,and many other aspects in building cellular networks and the reco

78、mmendationsas well as the definitions presented abovefor resilient networks may take a completely different direction in the years to come.In any case,as of 2024,below is a selection of activities that the industry could take to progress in terms of resilience.4.1.TECHNICAL DIVERSIFICATION The techn

79、ological side of resilient networks must be developed further,branching off from existing development and deployment paradigms to offer coverage and a consistent communication fabric among multiple domains.Table 1:Ubiquitous Coverage Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)Challenge:Ubiquitous Co

80、verage Solution:Satellite,NTN,and HAPS A decentralized network with ubiquitous coverage will be necessary to ensure communications are possible in any scenario and under multiple conditions.The complexity of multiple network integration increases significantly with the number of networks integrated,

81、so the telecoms industry will likely focus on networks that will complement their footprint,rather than compete with it.This translates to satellite and non-terrestrial communication platforms.RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GSatellite communications,especially using LEO constellations that provide low laten

82、cy,are positioned as a natural extension,and complement to current cellular networks.Many high-end devices already utilize this medium for emergency communications and have saved lives in natural disasters.However,integrating them into the cellular network will pose a significant challenge and will

83、require buy-in from satellite operators,too.There are also other platforms,namely High-Altitude Platforms(HAPS)that have been in discussion for more than a decade,but their ROI and use case remain a question.The integration of cellular 5G with satellite will likely be a good compromise between cover

84、age expansion and cost/effort,but that in itself will require advanced orchestration to combine the two distinct network domains.There are several research projects addressing this challenge,including the European 5G-Stardust project,the European 6G-NTN Project,and several activities taking place in

85、 3GPP,aiming to explore the first integration of TNs with NTNs.Table 2:Heterogeneous Network Orchestration Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)Automating across heterogeneous network domains is a very complex process,something that no company in the market can achieve today.In the future,adva

86、nces in network automation and AI/ML algorithms may likely achieve this,but technology would rather not be the main barrier for deployment of this concept.But before even considering the coordination and orchestration of multiple network domains,there is also the issue of resilience for the cellular

87、 network itself.Table 3:Cellular Network Resilience Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)There are multiple solutions to this problem,including additional coverage and new mechanisms for achieving resilience.This may even translate to devices coordinating between themselves without the presenc

88、e of a cellular network,something that has also been under discussion for many years in 3GPP with Long Term Evolution(LTE)Relays and,most recently,with Sidelink.2024 ABI Research The material contained herein is for the individual use of the purchasing Licensee and may not be distributed to any othe

89、r person or entity by such Licensee including,without limitation,to persons within the same corporate or other entity as such Licensee,without the express written permission of Licensor.12 CR-6GW-101:RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6G Satellite communications,especially using LEO constellations that provide l

90、ow latency,are positioned as a natural extension,and complement to current cellular networks.Many high-end devices already utilize this medium for emergency communications and have saved lives in natural disasters.However,integrating them into the cellular network will pose a significant challenge a

91、nd will require buy-in from satellite operators,too.There are also other platforms,namely High-Altitude Platforms(HAPS)that have been in discussion for more than a decade,but their ROI and use case remain a question.The integration of cellular 5G with satellite will likely be a good compromise betwe

92、en coverage expansion and cost/effort,but that in itself will require advanced orchestration to combine the two distinct network domains.There are several research projects addressing this challenge,including the European 5G-Stardust project,the European 6G-NTN Project,and several activities taking

93、place in 3GPP,aiming to explore the first integration of TNs with NTNs.Table 2:Heterogeneous Network Orchestration Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)Challenge:Heterogeneous Network Orchestration Solution:Automation and AI Cellular networks themselves are a challenge to coordinate and orches

94、trate consistently,let alone multiple network domains with different operators,vendors,and technologies.Understanding multiple network domains will require a single orchestrating point that consumes telemetry data from all network domains and utilizes advanced AI/ML algorithms to automate them.Autom

95、ating across heterogeneous network domains is a very complex process,something that no company in the market can achieve today.In the future,advances in network automation and AI/ML algorithms may likely achieve this,but technology would rather not be the main barrier for deployment of this concept.

96、But before even considering the coordination and orchestration of multiple network domains,there is also the issue of resilience for the cellular network itself.Table 3:Cellular Network Resilience Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)2024 ABI Research The material contained herein is for the i

97、ndividual use of the purchasing Licensee and may not be distributed to any other person or entity by such Licensee including,without limitation,to persons within the same corporate or other entity as such Licensee,without the express written permission of Licensor.13 CR-6GW-101:RESILIENT NETWORKS IN

98、 6G Challenge:Cellular Network Resilience Solution:Redundancy and Failover Although cellular networks are already resilient,there is room for improvement,as they are not designed for resilience or with failover mechanisms.Alternative network routes will likely be necessary in extreme conditions,mean

99、ing that coverage from a single cell may need to overlap with another to ensure that multiple cells can reach a user or device.There are multiple solutions to this problem,including additional coverage and new mechanisms for achieving resilience.This may even translate to devices coordinating betwee

100、n themselves without the presence of a cellular network,something that has also been under discussion for many years in 3GPP with Long Term Evolution(LTE)Relays and,most recently,with Sidelink.Sidelink systems allow devices to communicate directly between each other and linked devices can be used fo

101、r signal redundancy and time synchronization,both features that can be leveraged for superior resilience and network performance even in environments where communication systems would struggle.Sidelink systems need to be developed further and deployed commercially before they can be proven in a scen

102、ario that requires resilience,but these mechanisms do exist in formal standards.Sidelink also is not consistent with mobile operator business plans or strategies,because it operates through a decentralized,peer-to-peer mode.This may translate into commercial and deployment challenges.4.2.SUPPLY CHAI

103、N OPENNESS The market will need to open considerably to achieve a more resilient supply chain,much more than is being discussed and developed today.Table 4 presents a few arguments in this direction.Table 4:Closed Supply Chain Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)Challenge:Closed Supply Chain

104、Solution:Open and Cloud-Native RAN Vendors will need to coordinate at a much more intense and integrated level to ensure that equipment complies with standards and industry-accepted guidelines and blueprints.Integration labs,testing facilities,and systems integration will also need to be developed f

105、urther to ensure network components are fully interoperable.RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GSidelink systems allow devices to communicate directly between each other and linked devices can be used for signal redundancy and time synchronization,both features that can be leveraged for superior resilience and

106、network performance even in environments where communication systems would struggle.Sidelink systems need to be developed further and deployed commercially before they can be proven in a scenario that requires resilience,but these mechanisms do exist in formal standards.Sidelink also is not consiste

107、nt with mobile operator business plans or strategies,because it operates through a decentralized,peer-to-peer mode.This may translate into commercial and deployment challenges.SUPPLY CHAIN OPENNESSThe market will need to open considerably to achieve a more resilient supply chain,much more than is be

108、ing discussed and developed today.Table 4 presents a few arguments in this direction.Table 4:Closed Supply Chain Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)Supply chain openness could translate into a more challenging issue compared to the technical aspects discussed above.Opening interfaces and ens

109、uring that vendors cooperate fully goes against their commercial priorities and contradicts the resilience arguments discussed here.However,it will be necessary to ensure that operators can select any component available to keep their network operating in a crisis.This will also translate into more

110、budget being allocated to R&D,and more vendor participation and commitment to global standards and industry bodies such as the O-RAN Alliance.In any case,telcos will need to update and accelerate their procurement process,which,in many cases,is the bottleneck for choosing and deploying new vendor eq

111、uipment.LEGISLATION CHANGES NEEDEDFinally,network resilience cannot rely on the efforts of a single country or a region.It must come from global standards and processes that are designed at a global level,as cellular generations have achieved,so far,with expertise coordinated between all global regi

112、ons and device/chipset economies of scale built through global deployment of the very same technology.However,in the light of current events,this may be a challenging process.2024 ABI Research The material contained herein is for the individual use of the purchasing Licensee and may not be distribut

113、ed to any other person or entity by such Licensee including,without limitation,to persons within the same corporate or other entity as such Licensee,without the express written permission of Licensor.13 CR-6GW-101:RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6G Challenge:Cellular Network Resilience Solution:Redundancy and

114、 Failover Although cellular networks are already resilient,there is room for improvement,as they are not designed for resilience or with failover mechanisms.Alternative network routes will likely be necessary in extreme conditions,meaning that coverage from a single cell may need to overlap with ano

115、ther to ensure that multiple cells can reach a user or device.There are multiple solutions to this problem,including additional coverage and new mechanisms for achieving resilience.This may even translate to devices coordinating between themselves without the presence of a cellular network,something

116、 that has also been under discussion for many years in 3GPP with Long Term Evolution(LTE)Relays and,most recently,with Sidelink.Sidelink systems allow devices to communicate directly between each other and linked devices can be used for signal redundancy and time synchronization,both features that c

117、an be leveraged for superior resilience and network performance even in environments where communication systems would struggle.Sidelink systems need to be developed further and deployed commercially before they can be proven in a scenario that requires resilience,but these mechanisms do exist in fo

118、rmal standards.Sidelink also is not consistent with mobile operator business plans or strategies,because it operates through a decentralized,peer-to-peer mode.This may translate into commercial and deployment challenges.4.2.SUPPLY CHAIN OPENNESS The market will need to open considerably to achieve a

119、 more resilient supply chain,much more than is being discussed and developed today.Table 4 presents a few arguments in this direction.Table 4:Closed Supply Chain Challenge and Solution(Source:ABI Research)Challenge:Closed Supply Chain Solution:Open and Cloud-Native RAN Vendors will need to coordinat

120、e at a much more intense and integrated level to ensure that equipment complies with standards and industry-accepted guidelines and blueprints.Integration labs,testing facilities,and systems integration will also need to be developed further to ensure network components are fully interoperable.RESIL

121、IENT NETWORKS IN 6GTable 5:Protectionism and Geopolitics Challenges and Solution(Source:ABI Research)This paper does not aim to discuss how geopolitical challenges can be mitigated,but does stress that international cooperation will be necessary to achieve network resilience,even on a local or regio

122、nal level,especially for devices and handsets that will require economies of scale and truly global supply chains.CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSThis takes us to the last part of the paper,which aims to distill the previous sections and recommendations into actionable conclusions.Many of the recomme

123、ndations above require a cultural shift on both the vendor and operator sides,which represents a much bigger challenge compared to technical barriers.For example,if there is a true willingness and appetite to create resilient networks globally,the international R&D community will work to shape exist

124、ing technologies to address these requirements.This translates into a few actionable recommendations to achieve what this paper has argued.NetworkROIwillnotbethemostimportantdeploymentparameter,as resilient networks will require a balance between regulations,market success,and ensuring communication

125、s robustness and resilience are all satisfied.This will likely translate into localized resilience where and when necessary,rather than nationwide deployments to start with.However,even if so,telco operators will need to become accustomed to deploying,operating,and monetizing their network across ma

126、ny use cases and applications,some of which will need to sacrifice some of these Key Performance Indicators(KPIs)to satisfy resilience.Mobile operators must aggressively pursue network slicing,for many reasons.A common consensus is that 6G will not introduce a fundamental new technology in the netwo

127、rk,but will utilize existing concepts and technologies to allow operators to monetize their assets better.With the deployment of SA taking place today,mobile operators must aggressively pursue the deployment of network slicing,which will pave the way for network customization that can include resili

128、ence in the future.This will also allow them to break free of their consumer-oriented business and test new business models and applications.2024 ABI Research The material contained herein is for the individual use of the purchasing Licensee and may not be distributed to any other person or entity b

129、y such Licensee including,without limitation,to persons within the same corporate or other entity as such Licensee,without the express written permission of Licensor.14 CR-6GW-101:RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6G Supply chain openness could translate into a more challenging issue compared to the technical a

130、spects discussed above.Opening interfaces and ensuring that vendors cooperate fully goes against their commercial priorities and contradicts the resilience arguments discussed here.However,it will be necessary to ensure that operators can select any component available to keep their network operatin

131、g in a crisis.This will also translate into more budget being allocated to R&D,and more vendor participation and commitment to global standards and industry bodies such as the O-RAN Alliance.In any case,telcos will need to update and accelerate their procurement process,which,in many cases,is the bo

132、ttleneck for choosing and deploying new vendor equipment.4.3.LEGISLATION CHANGES NEEDED Finally,network resilience cannot rely on the efforts of a single country or a region.It must come from global standards and processes that are designed at a global level,as cellular generations have achieved,so

133、far,with expertise coordinated between all global regions and device/chipset economies of scale built through global deployment of the very same technology.However,in the light of current events,this may be a challenging process.Table 5:Protectionism and Geopolitics Challenges and Solution(Source:AB

134、I Research)Challenge:Protectionism and Geopolitics Solution:Global Cooperation Cooperation at a global scale will be necessary to establish interoperable,resilient network standards and processes.Nations will need to share best practices,how they react to crises,and how they are managing research ef

135、forts to enable future resilient networks.This paper does not aim to discuss how geopolitical challenges can be mitigated,but does stress that international cooperation will be necessary to achieve network resilience,even on a local or regional level,especially for devices and handsets that will req

136、uire economies of scale and truly global supply chains.5.CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This takes us to the last part of the paper,which aims to distill the previous sections and recommendations into actionable conclusions.Many of the recommendations above require a cultural shift on both the vend

137、or and operator sides,which represents a much bigger challenge compared to technical barriers.For example,if there is a true willingness and appetite to create resilient networks globally,the international R&D community will work to RESILIENT NETWORKS IN 6GFinally,commercialjustificationispossiblewi

138、thresilientnetworks,and must be fully understood and assessed before technical discussions progress.Such network features could potentially enable services that are not possible today,e.g.,performing video triage in an ambulance before the patient is admitted to the hospital,or even having critical

139、applications“funding”the foundation of a network that is also used for lighter,perhaps consumer applications.It may well be that future networks will be designed for resilient and secure applications,and consumer or non-mission-critical applications operate on a lower-cost basis,the same manner in w

140、hich Mobile Virtual Network Operators(MVNOs)operate today.At the end of the day,all of the assumptions and arguments presented in Section 3 and Section 4 require all participants of the supply chain to take risks and invest in technologies and concepts that are not yet commercially,or even technical

141、ly proven.For example,mobile operators may need to invest in Sidelink or integration with satellite without a clear ROI strategy.Or perhaps invest in dynamic spectrum sharing,where the radio network understands the frequency domain much better than it does today and acts accordingly to ensure resili

142、ent communications.These represent a true strategy shift for everyone involved in cellular standards.Finally,this paper has merely looked at the surface of the topic and has ignored larger issues associated with talent acquisition,national agendas,and operators struggles to remain profitable and hea

143、lthy during the last few years.One thing is for certain:resilient networks and any new generation network cannot be built with a“build it and they will come”mentality,as this has proven to be disastrous for 5G.The telecoms market needs to come together,identify real enterprise problems,and try to so

144、lve them,rather than design something that is looking for a problem to solve.Only then will enterprise cellular and resilient networks be possible.WeEmpowerTechnologyInnovationandStrategicImplementation.ABI Research is uniquely positioned at the intersection of end-market companies and technology so

145、lution providers,serving as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by driving successful technology implementations and delivering strategies that are proven to attract and retain customers.2024 ABI Research.Used by permission.Disclaimer:Permission granted to reference,reprint or rei

146、ssue ABI products is expressly not an endorsement of any kind for any company,product,or strategy.ABI Research is an independent producer of market analysis and insight and this ABI Research product is the result of objective research by ABI Research staff at the time of data collection.ABI Research

147、 was not compensated in any way to produce this information and the opinions of ABI Research or its analysts on any subject are continually revised based on the most current data available.The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.ABI Research disclaims all warranties,express or implied,with respect to this research,including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.Published June 2024157 Columbus AvenueNew York,NY 10023Tel:+1 516-624-