6G Radio Testbeds: Requirements, Trends, and Approaches

Abstract

The proof of the pudding lies in eating, that is why 6G testbeds are essential in the progress towards the next generation of wireless networks. Theoretical research towards 6G wireless networks proposes advanced technologies to serve new applications and drastically improve the energy performance of the network. Testbeds are indispensable to validate these new technologies under more realistic conditions. This paper clarifies the requirements for 6G radio testbeds, reveals trends, and introduces approaches toward their development.The sixth-generation of mobile networks is expected to be introduced starting 2030. Research and development toward this novel generation of networks started several years ago in different regions of the world, e.g., [2]. A myriad of applications and novel use cases, ranging from augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) in professional and entertainment contexts to support autonomous systems and connecting a massive number of battery-less devices, are envisioned to be served by these networks [3]. The analysis of these use cases has led to a harmonized view of which functions and capabilities 6G networks should offer. Summarizing, the desired features for 6G can be classified into three main categories:1) Improving diverse wireless network services: delivering higher throughput and network capacity, ultra-reliable operation, imperceptible latency, and connectivity to many devices with an extremely low-energy budget. 2) Providing novel functionalities: precise positioning and sensing [4], and communication with energy-neutral devices requiring wireless-power transfer [5]. 3) Enhancing coverage: delivering more uniform and truly ubiquitous services.