Abstract
The recently introduced 5G New Radio is the first wireless standard natively designed to support critical and massive machine type communications (MTC). However, it is already becoming evident that some of the more demanding requirements for MTC cannot be fully supported by 5G networks. Alongside, emerging use cases and applications towards 2030 will give rise to new and more stringent requirements on wireless connectivity in general and MTC in particular. Next generation wireless networks, namely 6G, should therefore be an agile and efficient convergent network designed to meet the diverse and challenging requirements anticipated by 2030. This paper explores the main drivers and requirements of MTC towards 6G, and discusses a wide variety of enabling technologies. More specifically, we first explore the emerging key performance indicators for MTC in 6G. Thereafter, we present a vision for an MTC-optimized holistic end-to-end network architecture. Finally, key enablers towards (1) ultra-low power MTC, (2) massively scalable global connectivity, (3) critical and dependable MTC, and (4) security and privacy preserving schemes for MTC are detailed. Our main objective is to present a set of research directions considering different aspects for an MTC-optimized 6G network in the 2030-era.
Highlights
Since the introduction of cellular wireless communication in the 1980’s, a new generation of wireless network has emerged every decade
With the most innovative service classes in Fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR), namely ultra reliable low latency communication (URLLC) and massive machine type communication (mMTC), widely adopted ; the cornerstone of machine type communications (MTC) in Sixth generation (6G) will be focused on the optimization and further enhancements of URLLC and mMTC targeting new use cases and service classes
MTC and Internet of Things (IoT) networks will form the main backbone of a 6G network providing wireless connectivity in all aspects of our everyday life and enabling digitalization of the economy and society at large
Summary
Since the introduction of cellular wireless communication in the 1980’s, a new generation of wireless network has emerged every decade. (MTD), known as Internet of Things (IoT) This enables a wide spectrum of applications in various vertical sectors, ranging from connecting very simple low-cost, low-energy devices like sensors to complex networks of machines, e.g., in industrial automation use cases [2]. MTC-specific 6G key performance indicators (KPI) will be much more stringent than those considered for 5G, and include a diverse set of novel metrics not considered before Such challenging design targets will be enabled through a combination of enhancements of existing technologies like non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and GF transmissions, advanced machine-learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) tools, intelligent resource management algorithms [24], integration of non-cellular technologies like non-terrestrial networks (NTN) [25], and optimization of E2E service provisioning [26].
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