6G must prioritise cities to drive connectivity, says global body

6G should concentrate on practical verticals like smart cities, healthcare, and industrial automation, says a new report from the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA).

The “vision” from the global body that promotes seamless, interoperable Wi-Fi services says that unlike 5G, 6G should “target applications for impact” including smart cities which benefit most from reliable, low-latency, and seamless connectivity.

The report outlines five key recommendations to achieve ubiquitous connectivity that comprises Wi-Fi, cellular, non-terrestrial networks, IoT LPWANs, and other wireless technologies at its core.

“Collaboration between cellular, Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies stakeholders, including operators, vendors, and vertical industry players, is crucial for the success of 6G,” said Tiago Rodrigues, CEO, WBA. “By centring its vision on densification, capacity, efficiency, and collaboration, the WBA aims to make 6G not just a technological leap but a practical solution for global connectivity challenges.”

The five key recommendations include:

• Ubiquitous connectivity: Foster collaboration between networks for seamless user experiences everywhere.
• Industry challenges: Focus on fixing fragmented experiences, high costs, and coverage gaps using scalable Wi-Fi and cellular models.
• Efficiency: Balance rising data needs with cost and energy efficiency, leveraging Wi-Fi to cut expenses.
• Targeted impact: Prioritise sectors like smart cities, healthcare and automation with reliable, low-latency connectivity.
• Collaboration: Align Wi-Fi, cellular, and other tech standards to ensure interoperability and avoid fragmentation.

The WBA lists actionable steps to align the industry and broaden the appeal of 6G to policymakers, businesses, and end-users. These steps include advocating for simplified cross-network policies centred on user experience, developing frameworks for seamless identity management, and advancing affordable, scalable solutions like Federated Roaming and neutral host models.

Additionally, the WBA emphasises leveraging AI to optimise network selection and reduce costs, along with establishing innovation labs for real-world testing and collaboration.

“It is important that the 6G era brings together cellular, Wi-Fi, and non-terrestrial access in a more seamless fashion, to create a “network of networks” that delivers a great experience for customers,” said Maria Cuevas Ramirez, Board Director, Wireless Broadband Alliance and Network Infrastructure Research Director at BT. “Collaboration will be critical to achieving this and we’re pleased to support the WBA Vision Statement for 6G which aims to identify and propose key enhancements to enable the industry to deliver on this ambition.”

Image: WBA