On November 7, the FuTURE Mobile Communication Forum 5G/6G SIG & Security Working Group held its third meeting of 2024 in Beijing. Tens of experts in the field of mobile communications participated in the meeting and had lively discussions on the content, optimization, and writing progress of more than a dozen 5G/6G white papers. Both Dr. Chih-Lin I, Chairman of Working Group and Chief Scientist at China Mobile Research Institute, and communications expert Zhang Xinsheng interacted with the participants during the meeting, and they also put forward many useful suggestions on the working group's research and the content of white papers.

Focusing on the progress of ICDT-Integrated 6G Network White Paper 5.0, Wang Sen, an expert from China Mobile Research Institute, introduced the progress of the white paper from the aspects of ICDT-integrated 6G technology system, ICDT-integrated key technologies, and ICDT-integrated industry applications. At the same time, he mentioned that the previous version of the white paper had a weak reflection of "integration", and the correlation between white papers was not strong. The division and content of the chapters should therefore pay more attention to the integration relationship between different technologies and to strengthening the correlation between different white papers. In response to the key issues/challenges mentioned in the white paper 4.0 , the white paper 5.0 would also focus on proposing corresponding solutions or ideas. In relation to this white paper, expert Zhang Xinsheng suggested that the development trend of the network should be in the direction of "DOICT" integration, and more efforts could be made in terms of future data, OT, CT, IT, and so on.

Jin Jing, an expert from China Mobile Research Institute, introduced the progress of the White Paper - Digital Low Altitude Network Empowered by Integrated Sensing and Communication. She emphasized that the current application scenarios of integrated communication and sensing involve both ground communication and low-altitude communication, and sensing services could also provide "traffic light" functions for low-altitude economic operations. Therefore, the integrated sensing and communication technology is very important for both 6G and low-altitude economy. Participants exchanged views on topics such as the challenges faced by the digital low-altitude which is empowered by the integrated sensing and communication, the impact of standardizing integrated sensing and communication, and sensing channel modeling.

Liu Shengheng, an expert from Southeast University, introduced the progress of the White Paper - 6G collaborative Integrated Sensing and Communication System Architecture and Key Technologies, including the driving force of the research on collaborative integrated sensing and communication architecture and key technologies, research on collaborative integrated sensing and communication network architecture, theoretical research on collaborative integrated sensing and communication performance, resource management technology of collaborative integrated sensing and communication, non-ideal factor elimination of collaborative integrated sensing and communication, and prototype test system of collaborative integrated sensing and communication. The white paper mentioned that research on collaborative sensing and communication could inherit traditional research, but compared with traditional cellular sensing and communication, the cooperation faces many challenging problems in sensing and communication requirements analysis, sensing and communication system architecture, and key physical layer technologies. It is urgent to conduct in-depth research in basic theory, key technologies, and industry applications based on the characteristics of the "collaborative" distributed architecture to provide guidance for future 6G mobile communications standardization.

Zhao Yajun, an expert from ZTE, reported on the progress of writing the White Paper on 6G Near-field Communications 2.0. He mentioned that 3GPP will officially launch the 6G research project in 2025. In order to promote the application of near-field technology in the 6G standardization, it is necessary to update the white paper version. The writing and publishing of white papers are intended to promote the research and standardization of near-field technology actively. At the same time, the white paper will also identify potential key standardization scenarios and technologies, providing important reference for 6G standardization. Compared with the first version, this white paper will have updates and improvements, including focusing on adding content related to engineering implementation and standardization.

5G pain points, high-value scenarios and high-value demands have posed challenges to existing cells and networking architectures, and promote research on 6G new cells and networking architectures. Regarding the White Paper - 6G New Cells and Networking Architectures, expert Liu Hanchao from ZTE introduced the content and progress. He said that some companies in the industry have their own comprehensive understanding of future cells and networking architectures, and have made significant contributions to the research on 6G cells and networking architectures. This white paper expects to integrate industry views to form a partial consensus, and seek common ground while reserving differences, promoting the evolution of 6G cells and networking architectures.

Sun Qi, an expert from China Mobile Research Institute, introduced the content and progress of the White Paper - Digital Low Altitude Network Architecture. In combination with the current development of the low-altitude economy and the requirements for the network, this white paper will focus on the correspondence, role and impact of digital low-altitude networks and new quality productive forces. It will discuss the unique architecture for building a digital economic low-altitude network, involving ubiquitous integrated communication (including space/air/ground/ad hoc integrated communication capabilities), integrated sensing-communication-computing-application (including electromagnetic environment sensing and adaptive capabilities), as well as endogenous intelligence, endogenous security, green communications, and manageable and controllable low-altitude intelligent networks and other prominent needs and characteristics. It will also explore the communication function module, sensing function module, computing power function module, and management and control function module in low-altitude scenarios.

Zhou Haibo, an expert from Nanjing University, gave a lecture on the content and progress of the White Paper - Fully-Decoupled Radio Access Network (FD-RAN), including the demand and development trend of the technology, architecture and characteristics, physical layer transmission, network resource management, network deployment, etc. He also proposed the research challenges in this field from the aspects of feedback-free transmission enhancement, multidimensional scheduling of full resources, and overall network resources aggregation and dynamic pricing based on cybertwin, as well as the application prospects of fully decoupled radio access network architecture in the fields of collaborative sensing, industrial Internet, low-altitude intelligent networks, etc.

Regarding the White Paper - Thinking on Wireless Intelligent Cloud Network, Cao Yiqing, an expert from Qualcomm, introduced the content and progress of relevant chapters, including the integration of sensing- communication- computing-intelligence, computing and intelligence, intelligent programmable autonomous technology, and service-based RAN for 6G and so on. He mentioned that the white paper discussed wireless intelligent cloud networks from an end-to-end perspective, and that RIC would also assume more important network responsibilities in the 6G evolution architecture. Dr. Chih-Lin I suggested that the white paper could give more consideration to the relevant core network content.

Gu Huixian, an expert from Xidian University, introduced the main contents and progress of the White Paper - 6G Core Network Formed on Holistic Service-based Architecture, which mainly included 6G core network formed on holistic service-based architecture, 6G distributed autonomous core network, services and network architecture based on semantic communication, 6G core network architecture and real-time communication application solutions, network sharing, 6G multi-element integrated control and scheduling, and other core contents. Regarding the introduction of technologies such as AI, the authors' representatives of the white paper, which focused on the 6G core network of holistic service-based architecture, also had an in-depth exchange with the participants.

Yao Jian, an expert from vivo, introduced the White Paper on Key Technology Research and Verification of Bistatic Sensing. His presentation covered a variety of topics, including the definition of bistatic sensing, its advantages, sensing scenarios and use cases, performance indicators, application processes, definition of sensing measurement quantities, key technologies, as well as simulation and prototype validation of bistatic sensing.

Cheng Zhimi, an expert from CICT Mobile, presented the content and progress of the White Paper on 6G User Plane Technology Based on Programmable Technology on behalf of the participating organizations. The white paper explores the requirements and application scenarios for 6G programmable user planes, the 6G user plane architecture based on programmable technology, and the key features of programmable user planes. Dr. Chih-Lin I, along with Cheng Zhimi and other experts, engaged in discussions on the potential integration of data plane technology with the contents outlined in this white paper.

Guo Xin, an expert from Lenovo, provided an overview of the Preliminary Exploration of Frontier Technologies for the 6G Era: Quantum Information Technology 2025 White Paper. His presentation covered global policies and strategies for quantum information technology (QITs), key technologies, standardization and development, and impact on 6G, as well as quantum computing and future expectations. This annually updated white paper highlights the latest advancements in QITs, aimed at meeting the stringent communication and computing requirements of 6G and beyond. It also looks forward to summarizing 2024-year major milestones in quantum communication and computing, as well as industry and academic predictions for future breakthroughs in quantum technologies and applications.

Zhang Huiying, an expert from CICT Mobile, shared insights and introduced the content and progress of the White Paper on Research of 6G Immersive Communication Scenario Requirements and Key Technologies, focusing on application scenarios and requirements, industry standardization and industry development, and key technologies. The paper outlines the requirements for 6G immersive communication scenarios, including ultra-high bandwidth, extremely high data rates, low latency and high reliability, multidimensional and multimodal capabilities, dynamic application characteristics, collaborative control, security, and green, low-carbon solutions. The key technologies identified in the paper include immersive terminal technologies, media processing, coding and decoding technologies, application assurance, and network transmission technologies.

The evolution of satellite standards has significantly advanced space-ground integration. Integrated Space-Ground application scenarios include satellite direct connections for mobile phones, satellite Internet, satellite Internet of Things (IoT), and satellite Internet of Vehicles (IoV). Lei Zhenzhu, an expert from UNISOC, introduced the main content and progress of the Exploration and Practice of Integrated Space-Ground Technology 2.0 white paper, which is a collaborative effort involving organizations such as UNISOC and Shanghai University. The paper covers the requirements and visions, the current development of space-ground networks, key technologies for 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN), the industrial development and practice of 5G NTN, and the development and evolution of 6G Integrated Space-Ground technology.

Zhang Kangjie, an expert from ZTE, introduced the content of the Co-NET White Paper 2.0. The vision behind the Co-NET is to create a larger network alliance that includes operator networks, IoV, home device networks, and more. This network aims to enable capabilities such as resource sharing. The white paper focuses on the functional design of the Co-NET, including autonomous resource sharing, custom networking, intelligent agent collaboration and interaction, collaborative quality assurance, and protection of stakeholders’ rights. It also covers process technologies such as autonomous identity and authentication, intelligent agents, shared content management, multidimensional shared quality assurance, and native multichain distributed ledgers. In addition, the white paper analyzes several application scenarios, such as real-time vehicle convoys in IoV, on-demand collaboration in agricultural machinery, pre-emptive user Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, and collaborative learning between intelligent agents.

Dr. Chih-Lin I stated that, in addition to the topics covered in the white paper, other key areas of interest for the 6G industry include artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins. With the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) making further strides in 6G standard development in 2025, Dr. Chih-Lin I encouraged more organizations to join the research efforts related to the white paper's content.