Supportive 5G Infrastructure Policies are Essential for Universal 6G: Assessment Using an Open-Source Techno-Economic Simulation Model Utilizing Remote Sensing

Abstract

Work has now begun on the sixth generation of cellular technologies ('6G') and cost-efficient global broadband coverage is already becoming a key pillar. Indeed, we are still far from providing universal and affordable broadband connectivity, despite this being a key part of the Sustainable Development Goals (Target 9.c). Currently, both Mobile Network Operators and governments still lack independent analysis of the strategies that can help achieve this target with the cellular technologies available (4G and 5G). Therefore, this paper undertakes a quantitative assessment demonstrating how current 5G policies affect universal broadband, drawing conclusions over how decisions made now affect future evolution to 6G. Using a method based on an open-source techno-economic codebase, combining remote sensing with least-cost network algorithms, performance analytics are provided for different 4G and 5G universal broadband strategies. As an example, the assessment approach is applied to India, the world's second-largest mobile market and a country with very high spectrum prices. The results demonstrate the trade-offs between technological decisions. This includes demonstrating how important current infrastructure policy is, particularly given fiber backhaul will be essential for delivering 6G quality of service. We find that by eliminating the spectrum licensing costs, 100% 5G population coverage can viably be achieved using fiber backhaul. Therefore, supportive infrastructure policies are essential in providing a superior foundation for evolution to future cellular generation, such as 6G.

Surveying 5G Techno-Economic Research to Inform the Evaluation of 6G Wireless Technologies

“…Often the delivery of eMBB is compared using technoeconomic methods against existing 4G LTE and LTE-Advanced options [102]. Analyses frequently focus on evaluating the cost efficiency of using legacy technologies against state-of-the-art 5G technologies, such as via millimeter wave [103] or ultra-dense HetNets with small cells [104], either indoors [105], [106] or outdoors [107], [108].…”

“…It is also common to include sensitivity analysis of the key radio engineering parameters, such as for (i) propagation losses resulting from shadowing and wall penetration [136], or (ii) the ability for 5G networks to cache content to reduce traffic demand [151]. Some studies have included sensitivity analysis of key parameters affecting the deployment of 5G, such as the total spectrum cost [15].…”

“…Indeed, strategic telecommunications decisions depend on using rigorous and robust technoeconomic analysis to inform network architecture design, network operations, and more broadly the chosen business model and level of investment [14] to deliver Next-G communications services. TABLE I LIST OF ACRONYMS technical engineering and computer science aspects, but to the potential detriment of not having as sophisticated understanding of the cost implications of different technical developments [15], which are still being established. Equivalently, much of the non-technical research on wireless networks has been inadequately informed by the technical details of emerging technologies.…”

Engineering-Economic Evaluation of Diffractive NLOS Backhaul (e3nb): A Techno-economic Model for 3D Wireless Backhaul Assessment

“…Any economic assessment of wireless networks needs to broadly reflect propagation conditions which are dependent on the underlying physics of the electromagnetic spectrum. A surprisingly small number of techno-economic models use engineering techniques to explicitly inform their design, instead usually relying on spreadsheet-based approaches with parameter value assumptions [85], even at the regulatory level [86]. Often this means a lack of initial rigor translates into results uncertainty.…”

“…This is especially given the increasing role machine learning is likely to play in network optimization. Firstly, global connectivity has already started to become a use case for 6G [85], [129], based on the idea that every location should be connected wirelessly, with a much larger role for satellite constellations and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Therefore, this method could be adopted to account for the increased need for 3D network assessment tools for these types of network architectures.…”