Page 29 - ITU Journal Future and evolving technologies Volume 2 (2021), Issue 6 – Wireless communication systems in beyond 5G era

ITU Journal on Future and Evolving Technologies, Volume 2 (2021), Issue 6

ment. Then, 6G will need to complete the process of net‐
work softwarization that has already started with 5G, not
only with the full deployment of the ETSI MANO architec‐
ture but also considering the existing MEC harmonisation
between ETSI and 3GPP, that we have previously men‐
tioned. Additionally, 6G should inalise the softwarization
process by applying the paradigm of PPS [1] to the whole
networks’ infrastructure protocol stack.
Another important aspect regarding virtualisation is the
evolution of the control plane. 6G should go beyond the
design of a distributed control plane, leveraging the cur‐
rent strong trend on micro‐services and multi‐agent sys‐
tems. This will also help for the seamless integration
between the virtualised infrastructure and the native AI.
In this sense, 6G’s current design and future subsequent
standardization will not have to neglect the important on‐
going standardization and design efforts by ONF within
the µONOS project. This will add quite higher lexibility
and adaptability to the control plane, while also creating
the fertile ground for the full exploitation of the potentials
of native AI.

In the next stages of the development of 5G networks, the
5G RAN will have to guarantee the provisioning of connec‐
tivity to the entire population with mobile data communi‐
cations at any time and in any place, and the concurrent
service provisioning for industrial full automation. Ini‐
tial 5G campus networks have already been set up for in‐
dustry, municipalities or educational institutions. These
networks differ in their coverage, as they are designed to
serve only one factory or villages. The further develop‐
ment of campus networks and their full integration into
the whole network infrastructure should become a prior‐
ity of 6G. In addition to pure cost reduction, they can also
guarantee security, lower energy usage and further lex‐
ible software solutions for the RAN, such as the so‐called
OpenRAN solutions. OpenRAN is an open interface down
Fig. 9 – Application of a campus network for teaching a robot in a bakery
to the antenna that can be recon igured at any time by (Copyright Wandelbots – free to use).
software.
ple, a 6G campus can cover an entire region where smaller
The original de inition of campus network (also called companies train robots such as bakeries (see Fig. 9).
specialised network) states that it represents a network
of various Local Area Network (LAN) within a limited ge‐ Furthermore, the so‐called paradigm of Industry X.0
ographical area. In this sense, 6G will further generalise [102] will massively exploit robots’ automation and col‐
thisoriginalconcept, byde iningcampusnetworksasnet‐ laboration, among themselves and with humans. Hun‐
works of LANs, with their access networks and edge com‐ dreds of robots, sensors, and other hardware are ex‐
puting resources. The full employment of future campus pected to be all interconnected in a reliable way in 6G,
networks will be a pivotal RAN‐edge paradigm of the net‐ also part of them requiring URLLC. Moreover, the con‐
work infrastructure under 6G. They will mainly support tinuous exploitation of human‐related, machine‐related,
mobility within their domain without necessarily inter‐ and network‐related data will require low‐latency lexi‐
connect to other external networks. For example, 6G cam‐ ble, secure, and dedicated edge computing. This scenario
pus solutions can be deployed by network operators to will represent the main motivation and the test bench for
provide customised and effective solutions to their indus‐ the evolution of campus networks within 6G architecture.
trial customers. This will allow 6G operators to ensuring The testbed in Fig. 9 shows some elements that highlight
the quality and the performances of the speci ic local cam‐ the need for 6G campus networks. With the higher and
pus networks that are deployed. Side by side, small oper‐ higher complexity of operations that robots are going to
ators can also bene it from campus solutions. For exam‐ perform, the number of sensors that humans will wear is

© International Telecommunication Union, 2021 17