Complementary SNS experimental Pan-EU federated Infrastructure
The target 6G experimental infrastructures provides the capability to support the demonstration and operational validation of the most ambitious use-case scenarios as deriving from the European 6G vision. It includes the capability to interconnect the physical world, the digital world and the human world based on a connectivity and service platform with performance capabilities beyond current 5G and 5G Advanced platforms and IoT application scenarios. The target experimental platform hence includes validation capabilities at every relevant layer of the IoT-connectivity-service provision value chain, covering typically innovative components and microelectronic capabilities, fixed/multi radio access (including NTN), backhaul, core network, and service technologies and architectures, covering disaggregated scenarios like Open architectures blurring RAN and core. End-to-end virtualisation and network slicing are key components to support multi-tenant environments, integration of private/non-public and public networks and multiple vertical use cases. Coverage includes the device and IoT integration and the cloud edge capabilities with scale up capabilities for demanding services-based on a clear EU strategy for an edge integration into a complete cloud continuum.
The experimental platforms will offer the capability to support disaggregated architectures enabling software and hardware implementations eventually able to support AI native 6G services including end-to-end service provisioning with advanced slicing capabilities. It is also futureproof by enabling to incorporate novel or disruptive technological approaches, and notably new spectrum and associated technologies, “AI-based service architectures”, communication and computing integration, AI-based zero-touch management and intelligence connectivity, integration of communication and sensing capabilities as typical, though not limitative capabilities. The target experimental environment is also capable for supporting and demonstrating key non-functional properties and in particular end-to-end security, security provision in the context of further integration into a larger environment (hyperscalers), energy efficiency at both platform and use case levels, and EMF-awareness.
The scope includes an open, disaggregated, versatile, and unified end-to-end platform operating over multiple interconnected B5G/6G sites in multiple European countries and following where possible open architectures at cloud implementation level thus, delivering the highest degrees of performance, flexibility and functionality for supporting testing and validation of innovative B5G/6G use cases such as holographic, XR/VR/telepresence, digital twins, cooperative robots, AI-as-a-service and haptic communications.
The demonstration/operational capabilities of the target platform are to be assessed against a set of emerging KPIs and KVIs as typically defined by the 6G international community and on-going initiatives. Proposals should be flexible enough to accommodate new relevant KPIs as they become available from the wider 6G community and from potential use cases.
To provide the required openness to host vertical use case pilots it is desirable that the platforms support open framework principles (e.g. both legal and technical like open APIs) enabling future vertical projects to access and use them. It is also strongly desirable that these facilities are built in a way that allows the evaluation of competing technologies where appropriate. Openness is also a key requirement for “partial implementation” of demonstration capabilities. In that case, well defined infra and service interfaces will have to be defined in view of interoperability with complementary platforms.
It is important to note that the stakeholders will commit that the result will be easily replicated in the same or additional locations/countries if this platform will be selected for large scale trials as part of Stream D.
The target experimental facilities and their modules should be open and accessible for a long enough period to allow for an easy handover from one phase to the other. Conditions should allow experimental facilities to be easily reused under fair and reasonable conditions for subsequent phases of the SNS programme implementation.
One important target is that the experimental platform is expected to manage the development of federation capabilities to enable interoperation with existing platforms (e.g. SNS Phase 1 platforms, or platforms developed in national initiatives) with identification and development of needed tools, technologies and architectures, including Open API’s. The objective is to potentially enable demonstration capabilities by federating multiple platforms, for advanced use cases for future phases of Stream D. Provision of capabilities to extend such a federation to non-EU based technologies and platforms would be an asset, notably in the context of EU-US cooperation under WP 2023, and also to prepare for future calls.
Evaluation of core 6G technologies and architectures in the context of specific 6G use cases may be considered but is not mandatory.
In view of ensuring maximum take up of the validated technologies, proposals should include a significant representation of European players with strong demonstrated impact at standardisation level.