Evolution of infrastructure (ultra low Latency) and Expanded mobile system (mmWave) towards 6G-AI NeTworks

ELEGANT will create a unique ultra-low latency 6G scientific infrastructure, expanding the network to the millimetre wave spectrum zone up to 26 GHz, enabling the integration of artificial intelligence in different parts of the configurable, open source, international and distributed network (6G-AI), forming a holistic test bench, essential for multidisciplinary research, training and transfer of this technology to society. The implementation of an infrastructure such as the one described is possible thanks to the fact that by the time this project begins, the UPC will already have a prior deployment as a result of the UNICO 5G 2022 call, in the FR1 bands, being, in 2022, the only option allowed in self-service mode. However, the previous network does not allow connections with the ultra-low latency required by 6G applications, based on Artificial Intelligence, for multiple applications in robotics, autonomous vehicle mobility, etc. To achieve this ultra-low latency, DWDM communications are required, not only in the link between the two deployed 5G network cores, but also accesses from the various laboratories, data centres, and the multiple sensors deployed on both campuses. On the other hand, the tender for new bands in FR2, 26 GHz, has been made to the industrial sector at the end of 2022, as planned, and in 2023 the option to use for self-provision opens. This option opens the investigation to multiple technologies proposed in 6G such as massive MIMO, very high capacity picocells, beam steering to optimize the energy of the signal emission, etc..