Operator’s Perspective on 6G: 6G Services, Vision, and Spectrum

6G refers to the communication and services expected to emerge around 2030, coinciding with the convergence of service/terminal evolution and the evolution of mobile communication. Successful implementation of 6G necessitates collaborative efforts from all participants in emerging 6G ecosystems. This includes expanding the range of 6G usage scenarios, selecting appropriate candidate spectrum, and fostering open interfaces. Promising applications for 6G, such as artificial intelligence (AI), sensing, autonomous vehicles (AVs), urban air mobility (UAM), extended reality (XR), holograms, and digital twins, are under discussion. However, the identification of “killer services” unique to 6G and the development of innovative form factor devices are deemed crucial for delivering unprecedented customer experiences. This article reviews key lessons learned from the world’s initial 5G commercialization, known as “5G Lessons Learned,” and subsequently presents perspectives on 6G usage scenarios and services anticipated to be implemented by 2030. Notably, simultaneous exploration of new spectrum and refarming of underutilized spectrum in existing services are highlighted as imperative. As part of this initiative, we provide tangible measurement study results for high-frequency bands considered as potential 6G candidate spectrum.