The path to 5G-Advanced and 6G Non-Terrestrial Network systems

TL;DR

This paper discusses the evolution of 5G to 5G-Advanced and 6G, emphasizing the role of Non-Terrestrial Networks in future communication systems, including architecture, services, and standardization efforts.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the development path, system architecture, and standardization roadmap for 5G-Advanced and 6G Non-Terrestrial Networks.

Findings

NTN integrated in 3GPP Rel. 17

NTN expected to be pivotal for 5G-A and 6G

Roadmap for system evolution and standardization

Abstract

Today, 5G networks are being worldwide rolled out, with significant benefits in our economy and society. However, 5G systems alone are not expected to be sufficient for the challenges that 2030 networks will experience, including, e.g., always-on networks, 1 Tbps peak data rate, <10 cm positioning, etc. Thus, the definition of evolutions of the 5G systems and their (r)evolutions are already being addressed by the scientific and industrial communities, targeting 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and 6G. In this framework, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) have successfully been integrated in 3GPP Rel. 17 and it is expected that they will play an even more pivotal role for 5G-A (up to Rel. 20) and 6G systems (beyond Rel. 20). In this paper, we explore the path that will lead to 5G-A and 6G NTN communications, providing a clear perspective in terms of system architecture, services, technologies, and standardisation roadmap.