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The ITU Vision and Framework for 6G: Scenarios, Capabilities and Enablers

Ruiqi Liu, Leyi Zhang, Ruyue Yu-Ngok Li, Marco Di Renzo

TL;DR

The paper presents a structured ITU-R framework for 6G (IMT-2030 and beyond), detailing six usage scenarios, four overarching design principles, and a set of high-level capabilities intended to guide future standardization and evaluation. It describes key technology enablers—AI, ISAC, RIS, full duplex, RAN slicing, and RAN infrastructure sharing—and discusses spectrum strategy informed by WRC-23 and forthcoming WRC-27 allocations, emphasizing global harmonization. By outlining the interplay between WP5D activities, 3GPP evolution, and ITU framework components, the work provides a roadmap for candidate technologies, test scenarios, and performance targets to guide industry and policymakers toward a coordinated 6G rollout. The analysis underscores the societal goal of ubiquitous, secure, and sustainable connectivity for humans and machines, with an emphasis on bridging the digital divide and enabling advanced sensing, AI, and immersive services across diverse environments.

Abstract

With the standardization and commercialization completed at an unforeseen pace for 5th generation (5G) wireless networks, researchers, engineers and executives from the academia and industry have turned their attention to new candidate technologies that can support next generation wireless networks enabling more advanced capabilities in emerging scenarios. Explicitly, the 6th generation (6G) terrestrial wireless network aims to providing seamless connectivity not only to users but also to machine type devices for the next decade and beyond. This paper describes the progresses moving towards 6G, which is officially termed as ''international mobile telecommunications (IMT) for 2030 and beyond'' in the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R). Specifically, the usage scenarios, their representative capabilities, the supporting technologies and spectrum are discussed, and research opportunities and challenges are highlighted.

The ITU Vision and Framework for 6G: Scenarios, Capabilities and Enablers

TL;DR

The paper presents a structured ITU-R framework for 6G (IMT-2030 and beyond), detailing six usage scenarios, four overarching design principles, and a set of high-level capabilities intended to guide future standardization and evaluation. It describes key technology enablers—AI, ISAC, RIS, full duplex, RAN slicing, and RAN infrastructure sharing—and discusses spectrum strategy informed by WRC-23 and forthcoming WRC-27 allocations, emphasizing global harmonization. By outlining the interplay between WP5D activities, 3GPP evolution, and ITU framework components, the work provides a roadmap for candidate technologies, test scenarios, and performance targets to guide industry and policymakers toward a coordinated 6G rollout. The analysis underscores the societal goal of ubiquitous, secure, and sustainable connectivity for humans and machines, with an emphasis on bridging the digital divide and enabling advanced sensing, AI, and immersive services across diverse environments.

Abstract

With the standardization and commercialization completed at an unforeseen pace for 5th generation (5G) wireless networks, researchers, engineers and executives from the academia and industry have turned their attention to new candidate technologies that can support next generation wireless networks enabling more advanced capabilities in emerging scenarios. Explicitly, the 6th generation (6G) terrestrial wireless network aims to providing seamless connectivity not only to users but also to machine type devices for the next decade and beyond. This paper describes the progresses moving towards 6G, which is officially termed as ''international mobile telecommunications (IMT) for 2030 and beyond'' in the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R). Specifically, the usage scenarios, their representative capabilities, the supporting technologies and spectrum are discussed, and research opportunities and challenges are highlighted.
Paper Structure (15 sections, 4 figures, 2 tables)

This paper contains 15 sections, 4 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. ITU-R Efforts in Defining 6G
  3. Usage Scenarios and Corresponding Capabilities
  4. Usage Scenarios
  5. Overarching Aspects
  6. Capabilities
  7. Technical Enablers
  8. AI
  9. ISAC
  10. Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS)
  11. Full Duplex Operation
  12. RAN Slicing
  13. RAN Infrastructure Sharing
  14. Spectrum for 6G
  15. Conclusion

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: Planned timeline for 6G studies and standardization in ITU-R WP5D and 3GPP RAN where the ITU-R programs, 3GPP releases and 3GPP phases are depicted in blue, green and orange, respectively. In general, 3GPP is the organization developing the detailed technical standards, while ITU-R is in charge of setting high-level goals for 6G and evaluating the technical standards.
  • Figure 2: A graphic illustration of the six usage scenarios and four overarching aspects of 6G approved by the ITU-R, the "6G wheel". (Source: ITU_framework)
  • Figure 3: An illustration of 6G capabilities compared to 5G. The range of values given for capabilities are estimated targets for research and investigation of 6G. (Source: ITU_framework)
  • Figure 4: Prospective 6G technology enablers.