The EU’s SNS JU is Already Preparing for 6G Use Cases

Years into the rollout of 5G, the European Union’s Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) has now started exploring how 6G can be used across a variety of sectors. 6G is expected to release in 2030, though it will take longer to build necessary infrastructure and properly deploy 6G networks across the continent.

How We Use Mobile Connections

With each iteration, our cellular network standards have become more important to industry, media, and individuals’ quality of life. While 3G enabled basic video calling and internet access on pre-smartphone devices, 5G is now responsible for smartphone connectivity, Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, and future-proofing machine-to-machine communication ready for AI and other world-shaping innovations.

The hardware didn’t just change, the digital media we consume has also shifted over the past decade. More people than ever go online to find information, buy products, or access digital entertainment. Streaming has become the main stage for movies and shows on the likes of Netflix and Hulu, while digital simulation technology can render interactive roulette or blackjack tables with a lot of detail, like those seen at PeerGame. To make their services more accessible, streaming services and iGaming providers have optimized their platforms to work with modern mobile devices, where they rely on 4G or 5G. These simple use cases, which don’t strain the modern capabilities of 4G/5G, still indicate that the digital media landscape is rapidly improving in quality and will demand more advanced standards in the future.

That sentiment is behind a lot of 6G (and even 5G) discourse right now – future-proofing. For industries and slow-moving governments, it’s more time and cost-efficient to lay the groundwork for upcoming innovations before they go mainstream. A great example of this is 5G’s widely marketed use case as an IoT solution, even though most homes lack a sophisticated smart home setup outside of their TV. But, when the smart home becomes affordable to most consumers, it pays to have 5G already in place across the globe. Data from Statista estimates nearly 180 million Europeans will have smart homes by 2028.

Sixteen 6G Projects Announced

With the next wireless standard on the horizon, the EU’s foremost industrial leader for networks technology has unveiled new 6G projects. Operating as a public-private partnership, the SNS JU gets its funding from the European Commission and in turn funds research to strengthen member states’ grasp of 5G and now 6G infrastructure. Their goal is simple in theory – promote 6G ahead of its adoption, while also ensuring Europe is up to date with 5G.

On the 30^th of October 2024, the SNS JU revealed that they had “an enthusiastic response” to its call for beyond 5G/6G funding proposals. They received 1,874 applications that spanned 33 countries and tallied up to over €850 million, a vast sum compared to their available funding pot.

The announcement also committed to sixteen projects exploring the development and implementation of 6G across a variety of sectors. Here are some examples:

• UNITY-6G: Ensuring 6G networks meet both sustainability and scalable AI-native architecture standards.
• AMBIENT-6G: Research into energy-neutral devices with a view to powering 6G-enabled IoT ecosystems in the long term.
• SUSTAIN-6G: Sustainability framework to ensure 6G research, development, and rollout are compatible with the EU’s other sustainable commitments.
• X-TREME 6G: Design new 6G-native chipsets implementing features like wireless back-hauling, which enables 6G to cover more of a property or business space.
• AMAZING-6G: Capitalizing on fourteen identified 6G use cases in energy, transport, and healthcare.

The EU is Getting Serious About 6G

These initiatives, among others, show that the SNS JU (and so the EU at large) is getting serious about 6G. We know that the 5G rollout has taken longer than its predecessor and, if similar infrastructure overhauls are needed for 6G, then industries can expect a similarly long rollout period.

According to TBR, there are some concerns among network operators who are unsure if they’ll profit from their massive investment into 5G before 6G becomes widely available. Some believe this may have a chain reaction effect, scaring those same operators from investing in 6G until they make profit on offering 5G. This means the next wireless standards could be held back in many regions – not by technology, but a failure of financial incentive.

To safeguard against this potential upset, partnerships like the SNS JU are using government funding to start 6G development early. Their plan to seed Europe with 6G-native infrastructure starts in 2025, while 6G will see wider rollout after 2030. With the clock ticking, time will tell if the European Commission can mastermind a smoother transition from one wireless standard to the other.