Exploring the 6G Potentials: Immersive, Hyper Reliable, and Low-Latency Communication

TL;DR

The paper defines a new 6G service class, IHRLLC, capable of delivering immersive throughput up to $1$ Tbps while maintaining hyper reliability ($10^{-5}$ to $10^{-7}$) and ultra-low latency ($0.1$–$1$ ms). It proposes an NDT-empowered network architecture that integrates THz communications with umMIMO, RIS, and NTN, complemented by AI enablers (L2O, GenAI) and quantum computing to optimize latency and resource allocation. Key contributions include detailing use cases (e.g., mobile tele-surgery, multisensory XR, HFT, cloud gaming, AAM/UAM), outlining enabling technologies, and presenting a unified architecture to achieve IHRLLC KPIs. The approach aims to enable practical, scalable 6G deployment and informs future standardization by addressing KPI trade-offs, latency optimization, and cross-layer coordination using NDT and advanced computing paradigms.

Abstract

The transition towards the sixth-generation (6G) wireless telecommunications networks introduces significant challenges for researchers and industry stakeholders. The 6G technology aims to enhance existing usage scenarios through supporting innovative applications that require stringent key performance indicators (KPIs). In some critical use cases of 6G, multiple KPIs, including immersive throughput, with an envisioned peak data rate of $1$ Tbps, hyper-reliability, in the range of $10^{-5}$ to $10^{-7}$, and hyper low-latency, between $0.1$ and $1$ ms, must be achieved simultaneously to deliver the expected service experience. However, this is challenging due to the conflicting nature of these KPIs. This article proposes a new service class of 6G as immersive, hyper reliable, and low-latency communication (IHRLLC), and introduces a potential network architecture to achieve the associated KPIs. Specifically, enhanced technologies, such as ultra-massive multiple-input multiple-output (umMIMO)-aided terahertz (THz) communications, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS), and non-terrestrial networks (NTN), are viewed as the key enablers for achieving immersive data rates and hyper reliability. Given the computational complexity involved in employing these technologies, we propose mathematical and computational enabling technologies, such as learn-to-optimize (L2O), generative-AI (GenAI), quantum computing, and network digital twin (NDT), to complement the proposed architecture and optimize the latency.

Figures (5)

• Figure 1: umMIMO and RIS-aided THz communication for 6G mobile tele-surgery application.
• Figure 2: Per user throughput and BLER versus the number of users for umMIMO-enabled THz communication.
• Figure 3: Role of HAPS and UAVs in enabling UAM use case in 6G.
• Figure 4: L2O, GenAI, and Quantum Computing. The logos in the middle of (b) and (c) are generated using ChatGPT-4o.
• Figure 5: NDT-empowered network architecture for IHRLLC service class in 6G.