Native NTN and AI: Current Visions for the 6G Network

Native NTN in 6G: Improving coverage and TN/NTN coexistence

There is currently a lot of discussion about NTN, non-terrestrial networks, being a native component in 6G. NTN refers to connectivity provided by satellites, drones, or other airborne platforms. In the 5G standard, NTN was standardized later as an addition, which has led to some challenges. As a result, many companies are now hoping that NTN will be integrated into 6G from the start.

The harmonious interoperability between TN and NTN will be a core consideration in 6G, as stated in “RP-251881: Study on 6G Radio”. 

Enhancements to the 5G NTN standard are also on the way. It remains to be seen how these improvements will compare to the topics and innovations that will be explored in 6G NTN.

“There’s a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) about ubiquitous coverage in IMT-2030 requirements. That’s one of the key motivators for developing 6G NTN, as part of IMT-2030 requirements and to enable seamless usage of TN and NTN”, says Hanna-Liisa Tiri, Senior Researcher at Magister Solutions.

IMT-2030 is the official name of 6G technologies, which are expected to be commercially available by 2030. IMT stands for “International Mobile Telecommunications”, which is a term used by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) to refer to broadband mobile systems.

AI-driven resource management and traffic routing in 6G

The IoT industry is expected to benefit from the development of 6G NTN – much like it has benefited from 5G NTN. However, it’s still too early to determine whether 6G NTN will offer greater advantages for IoT compared to 5G NTN – and if so, to what extent.

“In general, IoT benefits from getting more satellites to space”, adds Henrik Martikainen, Principal Scientist. This is supported by both 5G NTN and 6G NTN.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another major theme in the ongoing discussions around 6G NTN – particularly in areas such as mobility. 

AI and machine learning (ML) are both mentioned in “RP-251881: Study on 6G Radio”, related to the objects of 6G development. For example, one goal is to ensure that data transfer design supports various types of data, including AI and ML. There’s also an objective for developing an AI/ML for 6GR and Radio Access Network, leveraging the 5G AI/ML framework.

“AI is an integral part of the 6G network ecosystem, supported by e.g. end user devices, radio access network and core. For instance, data collection and analytics in the core network enables optimized AI-based resource management and traffic routing”, explains Vesa Hytönen, Principal Scientist.

Just like NTN, AI is expected to be integrated into 6G networks from the very beginning. Some AI-related developments have also been introduced in 5G.

Growing need for simplification on the road to 6G

Global collaboration and 3GPP standardization for 6G are still in the early stages of alignment and group formation.

The development process faces several challenges: one of the most pressing being the need for simpler use cases and clearer standards.

“While 5G was designed to be highly flexible and to serve ‘everything for everyone’, there’s now a growing consensus that simplification is essential moving forward”, Tiri notes.

6G is increasing the complexity of systems and standardization,  introducing satellites at multiple levels, AI, multi-connectivity, and hybrid TN/NTN integration.

One challenge is the sheer number of stakeholders making decisions at the same time. Various organizations with different wishes will be gathered around the same table. The core challenge becomes: how can all this be brought together into a coherent, reasonable whole? Inevitably, many compromises need to be made.

In the document “RP-251881: Study on 6G Radio”, this need for simplification is also highlighted. Specifically, the document proposes a goal of avoiding excessive configurations and minimizing various options for the same functionality, which is claimed to directly address existing concerns around implementation. 

This is particularly relevant considering the projected broad adoption of 6G across consumer and industrial applications, where balancing cost-efficiency and performance will be critical.

Solving 6G complexity through unbiased simulation insights

Magister has contributed to 3GPP standardization efforts from Release 17 onward, providing system-level simulations for 5G, TN/NTN, and the evolution towards 5G-Advanced and 6G.

“With 6G, these networks and systems are getting even more complex and dynamic. This falls right into our domain as a company”, says Martikainen.

AI is a key part of this new layer of complexity. For example: how will AI model training and simulations work together? Will the data need to come from real networks? And how will these new AI models be trained?

We’ve been working with NTN-related topics for a long time. Thanks to our independent and unbiased approach, we’re able to evaluate the most viable solutions – both from a scientific standpoint and in terms of technological performance.

Magister leads the simulation of 3D networks in NexaSphere

NexaSphere project (About NexaSphere)

Magister is currently working on the NexaSphere project, which aims to design a unified 3D communication network. This means integrating spaceborne, airborne and terrestrial infrastructures to serve the evolving needs of mobile transportation and smart communities.

An important goal of the project is for 6G to be able to address 3D networks and high-speed mobility. Crucial themes include AI and unified TN/NTN. So what’s Magister’s role in this project?

“We will simulate the coexistence of TN and NTN networks, enabling smooth TN/NTN coexistence towards 6G NTN. Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations are both included”, Tiri explains.

“We are responsible for simulations, leading the system-level simulator development in the project. Our scope is in the interoperability of TN/NTN”, continues Hytönen.

AI offers new ways for solving network challenges – for 6G and beyond

The use cases and services that 6G will enable are still under evaluation.

However, based on what we know now – which aspects are the most interesting or exciting to Magisterians personally?

“Probably AI, since it’s coming as a new feature. How can it be utilized? There are many hopes for it at the moment, but how will it materialize?” Tiri highlights.

“I would also say AI. Until now, networks have been quite deterministic, doing things according to predefined yet complex algorithms. The logic gets a bit more fuzzy with AI, providing an intriguing and new kind of approach for solving issues in the network”, Hytönen points out.

Martikainen, agreeing with the others, continues: “The routes and options are so complex that, in principle, AI could work well. The system dynamics and diversity are fascinating: how could it be managed and understood more broadly?”