The 6G Global Summit was held on 21 – 22 May as a hybrid event, hosted by Ofcom UK at the Pullman St Pancras in London and online via our virtual platform.
All around the world, work on developing the 6G vision is picking up pace. We are on the brink of a new era of connectivity that promises to revolutionize industries and transform the way we live, work and communicate.
The 6G Global Summit brought together top-level industry and policy representatives from all around the world to explore the path to 2030 and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Early visions and research on future 6G technologies and requirements were discussed, along with the key drivers, applications and use cases that are emerging. With sustainability expected to be at the heart of 6G, there is the potential over the next few years to build an ecosystem that helps to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. This was an opportunity to join key global leaders, and be part of shaping a better future with 6G.
Re-watch this year’s sessions, or check out the highlights video of this year’s event below.
Forum Global Forum Global specializes in policy focused conferences and events, providing a platform for discussion and debate on topical issues across a variety of different sectors. These events are organized with clients and partners and aim to progress ideas and actions on important issues, all within a balanced and neutral setting.Forum Global is the international arm of Forum Europe, which was founded by Giles Merritt, columnist for the International Herald Tribune, and is widely recognized as the leading EU dedicated event provider.Headed by a team of events specialists with over 19 years of experience, Forum Global works successfully with businesses, institutions and governments alike. Its strategic services can maintain and develop your key policy networks, and also deliver forums where key issues can be aired and debated.
ITU 
Analysys Mason Analysys Mason is the world’s leading management consultancy focused on TMT, a critical enabler of economic, environmental and social transformation. They bring together unparalleled commercial and technical understanding to deliver bespoke consultancy on strategy, transaction support, transformation, regulation and policy, further strengthened by globally respected research.
Their clients value their advice which combines deep domain knowledge with global reach and local insight into markets to help them achieve meaningful business results.
Analysys Mason are committed to their clients, employees and communities – contributing to a world where technology delivers for all.
Ericsson Ericsson is a world-leading provider of telecommunications equipment and related services to mobile and fixed network operators globally. Over 1,000 networks in more than 180 countries utilize our network equipment and 40 percent of all mobile calls are made through our systems. We are one of the few companies worldwide that can offer end-to-end solutions for all major mobile communication standards. Communication is changing the way we live and work. Ericsson plays a key role in this evolution, using innovation to empower people, business and society. We provide communications networks, telecom services and multimedia solutions, making it easier for people all over the globe to communicate.
GSA GSA (the Global mobile Suppliers Association) is a not-for-profit industry organisation representing companies across the worldwide mobile ecosystem engaged in the supply of infrastructure, semiconductors, test equipment, devices, applications and mobile support services. GSA actively promotes the 3GPP technology road-map – 3G; 4G; 5G, – and is a single source of information resource for industry reports and market intelligence. GSA Members drive the GSA agenda and define the communications and development strategy for the Association. The GSA Spectrum Group develops strategies and plans, and contributes studies and technical analysis to international, regional and individual country policy-makers and regulators to facilitate the timely availability of spectrum for use by mobile network operators.
GSMA The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.
GSOA GSOA is a non-profit organisation established with the objective of serving and promoting the common interests of satellite operators from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the CIS. The Association today represents the interests of 21 satellite operators who deliver information communication services across the globe. Together ESOA Members provide invaluable communications services to the whole world including emergency communications, live broadcasting, maritime and aero communications, secure services for governments, 24-7 monitoring of industrial processes such as energy plants and a whole range of other communications capabilities that society has come to rely on.
Huawei Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Through our dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom networks, devices and cloud computing. We are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers by providing competitive solutions and services. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one third of the world’s population.
Intelsat Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity, multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries and transform the ways in which we live.
Nokia Nokia is a global leader in creating the technologies at the heart of our connected world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry’s most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing. From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience.
Qualcomm 
WWRF WWRF’s goal is to encourage research that will achieve unbounded communications to address key societal challenges for the future.
We are using the term “Wireless World” in this broad sense to address the support of innovation and business, the social inclusion and the infrastructural challenges
This will be achieved by creating a range of new technological capabilities from wide-area networks to short-range communications, machine-to-machine communications, sensor networks, wireless broadband access technologies and optical networking, along with increasing intelligence and virtualization in networks
This will support a dependable future Internet of people, knowledge and things and the development of a service universe.
Aetha Consulting Aetha Consulting provides strategic advice to the telecommunications industry and specialises in undertaking rigorous data-driven quantitative assessments to help businesses, regulators and policy makers make major strategic and regulatory decisions. We work with our clients to develop creative and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing them in a constantly changing environment. Aetha helps operators and regulators to analyse the opportunities and threats arising out of changes (whether real or proposed) in their radio spectrum holdings. Throughout the recent unprecedented growth of wireless services, Aetha’s staff have been at the forefront of spectrum policy. Our consultants have assisted regulators to award spectrum and develop regulatory frameworks, including supporting the European Commission to tackle issues such as spectrum trading and the digital dividend. We also support operators to understand their spectrum needs, value spectrum and bid in auctions. Each year we support 10-15 bidders in spectrum auctions – a total of over 80 award processes between mid-2011 and 2017 across all regions of the world. Our technical knowledge, combined with our rigorous valuation modelling approach, ensures that our clients are comprehensively prepared for auctions.
Nera Economic Consulting NERA Economic Consulting is a global firm of experts dedicated to applying economic, finance, and quantitative principles to complex business and legal challenges. For half a century, NERA’s economists have been creating strategies, studies, reports, expert testimony, and policy recommendations for government authorities and the world’s leading law firms and corporations. We bring academic rigor, objectivity, and real world industry experience to bear on issues arising from competition, regulation, public policy, strategy, finance, and litigation. NERA’s clients value our ability to apply and communicate state-of-the-art approaches clearly and convincingly, our commitment to deliver unbiased findings, and our reputation for quality and independence. Our clients rely on the integrity and skills of our unparalleled team of economists and other experts backed by the resources and reliability of one of the world’s largest economic consultancies. With its main office in New York City, NERA serves clients from more than 25 offices across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
REASON Realising Enabling Architectures and Solutions for Open Networks (REASON) is a UK flagship 6G research initiative, backed by a £12m grant from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). This collaborative project unites 16 partners from the UK academia and the telecoms industry, fostering innovation within the telecommunication R&D supply chain. As a key player in the Future Open Networks Research Challenge, REASON develops cutting-edge technologies and solutions for 6G networks. Guided by a comprehensive industry roadmap, the project leverages AI techniques to advance network-edge and network-wide automation while ensuring end-to-end optimisation of KPIs, KVIs, energy consumption and security.
REASON is creating an architectural blueprint for open 6G network architectures, guiding developments across the technology stack. Advanced solutions for multi-access technology networks and network-wide automation will be developed leveraging state-of-the art AI techniques and UK-born technologies. REASON is providing end-to-end service optimisation through cognitive orchestration tools to enable edge-to-edge and domain-domain functionalities for a wide range of use cases. Crucially, this project is at the forefront of transforming the telecommunication landscape with its collaborative, pioneering approach.
Julia Lopez MP, Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Julia Lopez was appointed Minister of State jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 20 December 2023.
Julia was a Minister on Leave from 9 May to 20 December.
Julia was previously appointed Minister of State in the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 March 2023.
Julia was previously appointed Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 7 February 2023.
Julia was previously Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport from 7 September 2022 to 7 February 2023.
She was also Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport between 16 September 2021 and 6 July 2022, and Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office from 14 February 2020 to 15 September 2021.
David Willis, Group Director, Spectrum, Ofcom David Willis has been appointed Group Director, Spectrum, bringing 30 years of technology and telecom experience in government and industry to the role. David joins Ofcom’s Senior Management Team.
He joined Ofcom to oversee its Spectrum Group, which ensures that the UK’s wireless spectrum – a valuable, finite national resource – is used efficiently and effectively.
Most recently David was President of the Communications Research Centre, the Government of Canada’s research centre for advanced wireless telecommunications, spectrum management and helping to improve broadband services for Canadians.
Before this David led the Spectrum Engineering and Planning team at Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada. Here his work included international spectrum standards; wireless spectrum engineering and planning; satellite spectrum policy, licensing and coordination; and leading the Canadian delegation at the 2019 World Radio Communication Conference.
David has also held leadership roles in product management, operations and engineering at BlackBerry and Nortel Networks.
Mario Maniewicz, Director, Radiocommunication Bureau ITU Mr. Mario Maniewicz was elected Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He took office on 1 January 2019.
Mario Maniewicz is an electronic engineer specialized in telecommunications. He has been with the ITU for over 30 years, where he has held various positions of responsibility in the Radiocommunication and Development Bureaux as well as in ITU Regional Offices.
As Director, Mr. Maniewicz is responsible for the management of the Radiocommunication Bureau, which organizes and co-ordinates the work of the Radiocommunication Sector whose aim is to ensure the rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.
Philip Marnick, General Director, TRA Bahrain Philip Marnick is the General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). He was appointed early January 2022 by the Members of the Board, to assume the position, paving the way for a more effective regulatory framework by continuing the evolution of the telecom sector liberalization.
Mr Marnick leads the TRA, including the development of consumer protection initiatives and resolving disputes. The TRA develops regulatory rules that promote competition, innovation, and investment in broadband services and facilities, as well as developing a more comprehensive and competitive framework that aligns with international best practices. Ensuring that Bahrain remains a center of innovation and that its telecommunications sector serves everyone while supporting Bahrain’s strategic objectives.
Before assuming his role at the TRA, Mr Marnick managed and directed at Ofcom in the UK, where he was the Group Director of Spectrum responsible for all aspects of UK national and international spectrum management – from strategy to delivery including awards, clearance and enforcement. Mr Marnick has worked in the telecommunications sector for over 30 years. He has served as a senior executive in technology, operations, and strategy. Mr Marnick has worked in both start-ups (from inception to sale) and major corporations, in firms such as UK Broadband, O2, Orange, BT, J-Phone in Japan (now Softbank Mobile), Extreme Mobile, and SpinVox (now Nuance).
From analogue to 5G, he has engaged across every mobile generation. Throughout his carrier he has been at the forefront of industry developments – in both fixed and mobile. He has collaborated on the first deployments of mobile networks utilizing new technologies and standards, this has also included innovative products such as the first camera phone and photo messaging service, as well as mobile internet and hosted voice services.
Charles Cooper, Associate Administrator, NTIA Charles Cooper is Associate Administrator in NTIA’s Office of Spectrum Management. He leads the agency’s work on national and international spectrum policy issues, and oversees spectrum management efforts for federal agencies. He is responsible for frequency assignment and certification, and other strategic planning functions including development of innovation approaches to spectrum sharing.
Before joining NTIA in July, 2019, Cooper was the Enforcement Bureau Field Director at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) where he managed the nationwide enforcement of spectrum interference affecting public safety communications, FCC licensees and Federal agencies. Prior to serving as Field Director, Cooper was District Director of the FCC’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Cooper also served as senior engineer and partner with du Treil, Lundin, and Rackley, Inc., an engineering firm specializing in radio frequency coordination and design. Cooper is a recognized subject matter expert on engineering principles applicable to a wide mix of communications technologies. He is a member and two-term past president of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE).
Erzsébet Fitori, Executive Director, Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, European Commission Erzsébet Fitori has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking in October 2023. Previously, she was responsible for Vodafone Group’s engagement with the EU institutions and stakeholders, heading Vodafone’s Brussels office and as Board Director in industry organizations. Before joining Vodafone in 2020, Erzsébet was Director General of the FTTH Council Europe, the pan-European trade association representing over 160 technology innovators, network operators, and investors across the fiber value chain. As chief executive, she focused on transforming it into a growing organization, increasing its membership base, revenues, and engagement with key decision-makers. She joined the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), where she represented 100+ challenger telecom operators. As Director of ECTA, she oversaw its public policy, regulatory, and PR activities and led ECTA’s engagement with the EU institutions, national regulators, and governments. Before joining ECTA, she was Head of Regulatory Affairs at Telenor Hungary in Budapest. In her early career, Erzsébet was an assistant professor in the department of European law and private international law at the University of Miskolc, Hungary.
Artur Coimbra, Commissioner, ANATEL Brazil Artur Coimbra de Oliveira has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Law from UnB, with an MBA in Business Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas. He has been a member of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office since 2007, having previously been a Regulatory Specialist at Anatel. He served as an advisor to the Specialized Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Anatel and to the Presidency of the Republic. He was Director of Broadband at the Ministry of Communications and Secretary of Telecommunications from 2011 to 2022. During this period, he participated in the group formulating the National Broadband Program, chaired the Steering Committee of the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite project and He was a member of the Anatel Advisory Board.
Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI India Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers from the 1984 batch. He had superannuated as Chairman & CEO, Railway Board on 31st August 2023 after a career spanning about 37 years Indian Railway. He is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior, with gold medal and has master’s degree in engineering (Structures) from IIT Roorkee. He has worked in various positions in the Central, Northern, North Central, Western, and West Central Railway, as well as in the Railway Board.
Besides Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, some of the important positions held by Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti include Member Infrastructure, Railway Board, General Manager of Central Railway and Western Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, Lucknow, Northern Railway, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Northern Railway and Executive Director, Railway Board. Post his retirement, Ministry of Railway had appointed him to a One-Man Expert Committee for improvement in inspection and maintenance of track. In December 2023, Gati Shakti Vishvavidyalaya, Vadodara, a Central University appointed him as a Distinguished Visiting Professor.
His expertise includes railway operations, track maintenance, project execution and station redevelopment. During his illustrious career, Shri Lahoti initiated several reforms in execution of infrastructure projects and took several initiatives to modernize and mechanize track maintenance on Indian Railways. During his stints as CRB & CEO, GM and DRM, he brought about significant improvement in freight transport performance and took several customer friendly initiatives to improve the quality of service and ease the customer interface. He has also extensively contributed to planning and structuring of station redevelopment projects in various positions served by him.
Shri Lahoti has travelled to various countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia in connection with official assignments. He has undertaken executive training programmes at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, SDA Bocconi Business School, Milan, Italy and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Isabelle Mauro, General Director, GSOA Isabelle Mauro is the General Director of the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) that represents the interests of 29 global and regional satellite operators. She reports directly to their Chief Executives.
Under Isabelle’s leadership, GSOA and its member CEOs lead the effort to showcase the benefits of satellite communications for a more inclusive and secure society – vital to bridging the world’s digital divide, achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 5G ecosystem.
Isabelle has 25 years experience in the Telecoms and Technology sector, starting at the GSMA, where she was responsible for government and international Affairs. In 2015 she moved to New York to join the World Economic Forum as Head of Information, Communications and Technology Industries, managing the portfolio for 60+ Tech companies globally and leading initiatives on inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.
Isabelle is passionate about inclusion and sustainability. She is Chair of the High-Level Advisory Board of the DigitalGoesGreen Foundation. She also sits on the Advisory Board of Women in Tech and is a member of the UNESCO Advisory Group for the Declaration on Connectivity for Education.
Isabelle holds an MSc in European Politics and Policy from the London School of Economics. She is fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish.
Robert Mourik, Chairperson & Commissioner, ComReg Ireland Robert Mourik joined ComReg as Commissioner in 2019. From 7 January 2022 he became Chairperson.
Robert has almost thirty years experience in the telecoms sector, as an industry executive and as Government official. Prior to joining ComReg, he worked for Cubic Telecom, a new entrant in the automotive IoT space, where he was responsible for all wholesale activities. Robert spent almost 10 years in Telefonica as the European Regulatory Strategy Director at their corporate HQ in Madrid and as Strategy Director in Ireland. He also worked for Vodafone Group, as its head of the Brussels Office and in the regulatory department in Newbury, UK. In 1991, Robert began his career in the Dutch Department for Transport and Telecommunication and from 1994 until 1999 he served, as Telecom Attaché at the Netherlands’ Permanent Representation in Brussels. He was a Member and Chair of the Council Telecoms Working Group in 1998 when the first telecom regulatory package was adopted. Robert was born in the Netherlands and studied Economics and Public Policy at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and the University of Hull (UK).
Kostas Masselos, President, Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT) Professor Konstantinos Masselos has been appointed as the President of the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) in February 2018. He has been elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for 2019.
In 2006 he joined University of Peloponnese, where he is currently a Professor in Computing Systems Design in the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications. Konstantinos served as Rector of the above university the period 2012-2017. During the period 2005 to 2008, he was Lecturer in digital systems at the Imperial College London. Also from 2010 to 2016 he served as Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, at the Imperial College London. From 2001 to 2004 he joined Intracom Telecom SA in Greece.
Konstantinos has been involved in several research and development projects and has consulting experience in industry and public organizations. Since 2005 he has been regularly involved as an expert in different European Commission units. Additionally, Konstantinos was member of the Scientific Committee of European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) organization from 2015 to 2017. He has authored more than 120 papers in international journals and conferences.
Dimitra Simeonidou, Co-Director of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and Director of the Smart Internet Lab, University of Bristol Dimitra Simeonidou is a Full Professor at the University of Bristol, the Co-Director of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and the Director of Smart Internet Lab. Her research is focusing on the fields of high-performance networks, programmable networks, Future Internet, wireless-optical convergence, 5G/6G and smart city infrastructures. In the past few years, she is increasingly working with Social Sciences and Humanities on topics of climate change and digital transformation for society and businesses. Dimitra has been the Technical Architect and the CTO of the smart city project Bristol Is Open. She is currently leading the Bristol City/Region 5G and Open RAN pilots.
Dimitra is a member of the DSIT Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council, a founding member of UKTIN and has led major research projects funded by UKRI and the EC. She is currently coordinating the DSIT REASON project developing blueprint architectures and technologies for 6G.
She is the author and co-author of over 700 publications, numerous patents and several contributions to standards. She has been co-founder of three spin-out companies developing solutions for connected smart infrastructures.
Dimitra is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), a Fellow of the IEEE (FIEEE), Fellow of WWRF, a Royal Society Wolfson Scholar and member of UKCRC.
Simon Fletcher, Board Member, WWRF Huddle Bio coming shortly
Katrin Sjöberg, Technical Advisor, Volvo Katrin Sjöberg is employed as a technical adviser at Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) in Sweden, entailing involvement in research to final product with focus on frequency spectrum, standardization, and regulation related to wireless connectivity for Volvo products. Since 2009, she has been active in ETSI standardization on intelligent transport system (ITS), where she currently leads the standardization work as chair of ETSI TC ITS WG4 and TC ERM TG37. In addition, she is active in the trade association for European automotive manufacturers ACEA and represents ACEA’s interests in the EC EG-RE (Expert Group on Radio Equipment) and in CEPT. Katrin holds a PhD from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Matthew Baker, Head of 3GPP Standardization, Nokia Matthew Baker is a Nokia Bell Labs Fellow and leads a RAN standardization team at Nokia. Prior to starting to address 6G, he has contributed to the standardization of 3G, 4G, 5G and 5G-Advanced in 3GPP, where he held the posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 between 2009 and 2017. He holds degrees in Engineering and Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, UK. He is co-editor of the book “LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: From Theory to Practice”, has authored many papers and holds several hundred patents in the field of mobile communications.
David Boswarthick, Director of New Technologies, ETSI David is currently the ETSI Director of New Technologies (NET), which involves tracking the latest ICT technology and business trends and all relevant research initiatives in order to identify appropriate technology standards needs and future opportunities for ETSI.
In addition, he works on outreach initiatives towards the research and academic communities, both in Europe and globally, as well as engaging with key European research programs such as Horizon Europe.
David has more than 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications sector, which includes over 20 years’ working in ICT standardization supporting both 3GPP and ETSI Technical and strategic groups.
Marja Matinmikko-Blue, Director of Sustainability and Regulation of 6G Flagship, University of Oulu Marja Matinmikko-Blue is the Research Director of the Infotech Oulu Institute and Director of Sustainability & Regulation at 6G Flagship at the University of Oulu, Finland, where she also holds an Adjunct Professor position in spectrum management. She completed her Doctor of Science degree in communications engineering in 2012, and Doctor of Philosophy degree in industrial engineering and management in 2018 at the University of Oulu. She has been conducting multi-disciplinary research into the technical, business, and regulatory aspects of future mobile communication systems in close collaboration with industry, academia, and regulators for over two decades. She has published 180+ scientific papers and prepared 160+ contributions to regulatory bodies.
Eric Fournier, Director for Spectrum Planning and International Affairs, ANFR France Eric Fournier is currently Director for Spectrum Planning and International Affairs in the Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR), the French public agency in charge of spectrum management (www.anfr.fr).
In this capacity, he is responsible for preparing the revisions of the French national table of spectrum allocation and for coordinating French positions in international meetings and conferences on spectrum within ITU, CEPT and EU. He was deputy head of the French delegation for RRC-06, WRC-07, WRC-12, WRC-15 and WRC-19.
He is currently chairman of the RSPG, a high-level advisory group that assists the European Commission in the development of radio spectrum policy. He has been involved in all discussions on major evolutions of spectrum in Europe and was Chairman of the Electronic Communication Committee (CEPT/ECC) from 2013 to 2018 and of the European Conference Preparatory Group for the World Radiocommunications Conference 2012 (CPG-12).
Eric is a graduate telecom engineer from SUPELEC (France).
Erika Royo Tejedor, Director, Government and Policy Advocacy, Ericsson Erika Tejedor is Director of Government and Policy Advocacy at Ericsson and focuses on ensuring harmonized future spectrum availability for mobile globally, with focus on 5G and 6G. During her career, she has focused on spectrum from different perspectives: research, product development, 3GPP RAN4 and ETSI standardization as well as spectrum regulation. At the moment, Erika focuses on spectrum policy strategies, ITU-R activities and coordination of spectrum related work across the different regions. Erika graduated from the University of Zaragoza (Spain) and the Linköping University (Sweden) and holds a Master in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Wireless Communications.
Adrian Scrase, Visiting Professor, University of Surrey Prior to joining GSA, Adrian Scrase worked within the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) from 1992, serving as Chief Technical Officer from 2003. He played an active role in the creation of 3GPP and was responsible for operational support to that project from 1999 until 2023. He has extensive experience in the operation and management of international standardisation activities and in the setting of strategies that ensure the success of those activities. Before joining ETSI, he worked within the UK Government on Radio Regulation and International Standardization matters. Adrian is a Visiting Professor at Surrey University, UK, and a Fellow of the Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF).
Cristina Data, Director, Spectrum Policy and Analysis, Ofcom Bio coming shortly
Takehiro Nakamura, CSO, NTT Docomo Mr. Takehiro Nakamura is now Chief Standardization Officer in NTT DOCOMO, Inc. Mr. Nakamura has been engaged in R&D and the standardization activities for advanced radio and network technologies of W-CDMA, HSPA, LTE/LTE-Advanced, 5G and 6G, and engaged in strengthening inter-industry collaboration. He has been contributing to standardization activities in ARIB, ITU and 3GPP since 1997, including as vice chair and chair of 3GPP TSG-RAN from 2005 to 2013.
Currently, he plays important roles to promote and accelerate 5G and 6G in Japan and globally as the Acting Chairman of Strategy & Planning Committee and the leader of Millimeter wave Promotion Ad Hoc of 5G Mobile Communications Promotion Forum(5GMF), the leader of Cellular System Task Group of ITS Info-communications Forum, the leader of White Paper Subcommittee in Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium in Japan and the Board member of 5G-ACIA.
Mike Short, Chief Architect, SA Catapult Bio coming shortly
Janette Stewart, Partner, Analysys Mason Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
Peng Zhao, Vice President, Policy & Regulatory, GSOA Peng serves as the Vice-President of Policy & Regulatory at GSOA, where he spearheads advocacy efforts in critical policy and regulatory domains, including spectrum management, market access, and national policy initiatives. With a rich background in the telecommunications sector and expertise across mobile and satellite industries, he’s been advising governments and telecom industry globally.
Before joining GSOA, Peng played a pivotal role at Eutelsat OneWeb in shaping international regulatory and policy frameworks, focusing on delivering satellite licensing structures to accommodate Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, and tailoring satellite regulatory procedure during WRC-23. Prior to this, at GSMA, Peng was responsible for the global campaign aimed at optimizing spectrum licensing conditions for mobile operators worldwide. He led a diverse team of policy experts across developing markets, engaging policymakers and regulators to advocate for industry best practices in telecom policy.
Peng holds a Master’s degree in Telecommunication from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne, complemented by an Executive MBA from the London Business School. Peng is fluent in English, Mandarin, and French.
Luigi Ardito, Senior Director of Government Affairs EMEA, Qualcomm Luigi Ardito is currently working as Director of government affairs for Europe, Middle East and North Africa at Qualcomm and drive Qualcomm spectrum and regulatory policy agenda in Europe and MENA dealing with various government entities and industry organizations. Prior to joining Qualcomm, Luigi worked for over a decade at Sony Corporation both in Japan and in the UK. Luigi gained also professional experience at France Telecom and at the Italian Public Broadcaster RAI.
Luigi has extensive experience in the Media and Telecom industry as well as the Semiconductor Industry gained through his assignments at Qualcomm, Sony, France Telecom and RAI. He holds an Electronic Engineering Degree gained at the Politecnico di Torino in Italy and a Master of Business Administration gained at the Henley Management College in the UK.
Ross Bateson, Special Advisor, Spectrum, GSMA Ross is a long-term special adviser to the GSMA on government affairs across a number of issues affecting mobile broadband growth. He fulfils this role through his consultancy business RB Communications. Prior to this Ross worked at Access Partnership where he served as a director charged with government affairs and as a financial analyst for the mobile and satellite industries at TelecomFinance.
Yoko Nakata, Deputy Director, Global Strategy Division, Global Strategy Bureau, MIC Japan Ms. Nakata has entered Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan in 2011.
She has been engaged in many Telecom/ICT policy fields, from International Cooperation in Asian countries to data exchange market. In recent years, she devoted herself in policy making and enforcement of mobile tariffs regulations, promoting competition and consumer protection in Japan. She was also in Personal Information Protection Commission, negotiating with European Commission on Adequacy Decision for GDPR as well as with OECD on Government Access discussion, enhancing Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT). Currently, she is based in Brussels, as a MIC representative and as a Director of Brussels Representative Office for Foundation for MultiMedia Communications (FMMC).
She has LL.M. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and MPA (Master of Public Administration) from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
Marc Eschenberg, Partner, Aetha Consulting Marc Eschenburg is a Partner at Aetha Consulting, a specialist telecommunications strategy consultancy which advises players in the industry on major strategic and regulatory decisions.
For the last years, Marc has been very active in the area of spectrum management, advising operators and regulators on issues such as spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, auction support and spectrum pricing. His particular area of expertise lies in overseeing the development of spectrum valuation models ahead of auctions and he has supported spectrum managers and bidders in preparations for over 30 award processes across the world.
Madhusanka Liyanage, Ad Astra Fellow, University College Dublin; Expert Consultant, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) Dr. Madhusanka Liyanage is an Assistant Professor/Ad Astra Fellow and Director of Graduate Research at the School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
He is leading Network Softwarization and Security Labs (NetsLab) at the UCD School of Computer Science is a dynamic research group leading the charge in enhancing the security and privacy of next-generation mobile networks, including 5G and 6G. He is also acting as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oulu, Finland, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka and the University of Sri Jayawardhanepura, Sri Lanka. He received his Doctor of Technology degree in communication engineering from the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, in 2016. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship and Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship during 2018-2020. In 2020, he received the “2020 IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher” award by IEEE ComSoc EMEA. In 2021,2022 and 2023, he was ranked among the World’s Top 2% Scientists (2020, 2021 and 2022) in the List prepared by Elsevier BV, Stanford University, USA. Also, he was awarded an Irish Research Council (IRC) Research Ally Prize as part of the IRC Researcher of the Year 2021 awards for the positive impact he has made as a supervisor. In 2022, he received “2022 The Tom Brazil Excellence in Research Award” by SFI CONNECT Center. Moreover, Madhusanka received a Special Commendation for IRC Early Career Researcher of 2022 by Irish Research Council, Ireland. Dr. Liyanage’s research interests are 5G/6G Security, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Explainable AI and Federated Learning (FL) security, Network Slicing, Internet of Things (IoT) and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC). He has co-authored over 200 publications, including three authored books, four edited books and several patents in mobile network security domain. He is also an expert consultant at European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and a Funded Investigator of Science Foundation Ireland CONNECT Research Centre, Ireland. Moreover, he is an expert reviewer at different funding agencies in Europe, Asia and Oceania regions.
Timothy O’Farrell, Chair in Wireless Communication, University of Sheffield Professor Timothy O’Farrell currently holds the Chair in Wireless Communication at the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK. He specializes in the design of energy efficient wireless networks, direct digitisation in multiband software defined radios, and waveform design for wireless communication systems. To date, he has published over 335 papers and led 26 major research projects on these topics. Professor O’Farrell was Academic Coordinator of the mVCE Green Radio project (2009-12); General Chair of the 5th International Workshop on Next Generation Green Wireless Networks (Next-GWiN 2018); and director of the UK Research Strategy Community Organisation in Communications, Mobile Computing and Networking (CommNet2, 2015-19). He is a chair of the GreenNet workshop at the IEEE International Conference on Communications in Rome 2023. He is director of the UKRI National 6G Radio Systems Facility, a director of the mVCE (mobilevce.com); and a member of the DSIT College of Experts (gov.uk/dsit) advising the UK government on wireless digital infrastructure.
Naima Hassan Dimbil, Director of Interconnection, Wholesale, and Universal Access. National Communications Authority of Somalia Naima Hassan Dimbil is the head of the Interconnection, wholesale, and Universal Access Department in the National Communications Authority, Naima has a first-class bachelor’s degree in Electrical engineering (Telecommunications engineering division) as well as a Master’s Degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Naima is Skilled Telecommunications Engineer specialized in communications management, enabling regulatory environment, emerging technologies, Telecommunications networks, and information security. Experienced in ICT regulations and policy drafting in such topics as Telecommunications networks interconnection, Telecommunications Pricing and tariffs, Universal access and services, and Infrastructure sharing.
Richard Marsden, Managing Director, Nera Economic Consulting Richard Marsden specializes in market design, including auctions and trading, bidding strategy, and related competition, pricing, regulatory, and public policy issues. He applies this expertise to multiple industries, including broadcasting, energy, mobile telephony, procurement, radio spectrum, technology, and transport to help his clients create or participate in new marketplaces.
Over the last 20 years, Mr. Marsden has provided guidance to regulators, private companies, and law firms in more than 50 countries. His teams at NERA are particularly well known for their work on the design and implementation of high-value auctions and the development of effective bid strategies. To support this work, the team has developed a suite of software tools for running, simulating, and analyzing auctions.
In the communications sector, Mr. Marsden’s experience includes auction design and implementation, bid strategy advisory work, expert witness reports, and litigation support concerning spectrum allocation, spectrum pricing, spectrum valuation, and mobile market competition. He has advised clients on spectrum auction design and implementation for 4G and 5G mobile spectrum in Belgium, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Africa. Mr. Marsden has also provided bid strategy advice to mobile operators participating in auctions for 4G and 5G mobile frequencies in more than 30 countries, including spectrum auctions in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US. This work often includes developing or critiquing valuation models. He has also advised on auctions procuring subsidies for broadband rollout.
In the energy sector, Mr. Marsden has designed auctions for electricity interconnection capacity, offshore wind generation sites, and gas pipeline capacity. Additionally, he has advised energy companies participating in capacity market and offshore wind auctions.
In the technology sector, Mr. Marsden has advised companies on the design of auctions for procurement processes, pricing of used products for resale, and regulatory processes for inducing competition in vertically integrated markets.
Mr. Marsden frequently presents and publishes on topics related to market design, auctions, the communications industry, and spectrum management. He has completed major studies for the GSMA on spectrum pricing and for the European Commission on the transfer of digital dividend spectrum from broadcast to mobile use and on spectrum trading and spectrum liberalization. He contributed a chapter to the Handbook of Spectrum Auction Design on combinatorial auctions and is the co-author of Broadband in Europe: How Brussels Can Wire the Information Society.
Mikko Uusitalo, Head of Research Department, Nokia Bell Labs, Hexa-X 
Richard Moore, Principal Spectrum Policy Advisor, Ofcom Richard has 30 years’ experience working in technology, policy and regulatory roles in telecoms and media. An engineer by background, he has practical experience of digital infrastructure design and deployment. In Ofcom, he is currently leading work to understand the radio spectrum requirements of next generation wireless technologies (such as 6G), assessing the potential of direct to device satellite solutions and how wireless connectivity can facilitate innovation in industry verticals.
Stuart Cooke, Chair, GSA Chair of the GSA’s Global Spectrum Team and Director of Samsung’s Spectrum & Industry Affairs. Previously held a variety of roles including UK government 3G auction team, Nokia standards & regulatory affairs, 4G pioneer start up Flarion Technologies, Qualcomm business development and wireless energy harvesting start-up Drayson Technologies.
Alex Choi, Chairman, O-Ran Alliance Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi is Chairman of the O-RAN ALLIANCE and Senior Vice President, Group Technology and Head of T-Labs, which is the central Research & Development division of Deutsche Telekom. In addition, he is member of the Technology & Innovation management board, where he has responsibility for several strategic topics.
Dr. Choi has been a thought leader for over 20 years in the mobile telecommunication industry & consumer electronics by driving forward key strategic and research topics in Telco and AI.
Dr. Choi was the first Chairman of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) and previously served as CTO for SK Telekom. With the introduction of “NUGU”, the first AI- based virtual assistant in Korea, Dr. Choi was influential in the development of AI solutions.
Chih-Lin I, Chief Scientist, China Mobile Research Institute Chih-Lin I is the Chief Scientist of Wireless Technologies, in charge of advanced wireless communication R&D effort of China Mobile Research Institute (CMRI). She established the Green Communications Research Center of China Mobile, spearheading major initiatives including 5G Key Technologies R&D; high energy efficiency system architecture, technologies, and devices; green energy; C-RAN and soft base station.
Chih-Lin received her Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, has almost 30 years experience in wireless communication area. She has worked in various world-class companies and research institutes, including wireless communication fundamental research department of AT&T Bell Labs; Headquarter of AT&T, as Director of Wireless Communications Infrastructure and Access Technology; ITRI of Taiwan, as Director of Wireless Communication Technology; Hong Kong ASTRI, as VP and the Founding GD of Communications Technology Domain. Chih-Lin received the Trans. COM
Stephen Rice Best Paper Award, and is a winner of CCCP “National 1000 talent” program. She was an elected Board Member of IEEE ComSoc, Chair of ComSoc Meeting and Conference Board, and the Founding Chair of IEEE WCNC Steering Committee. She is currently an Executive Board Member of GreenTouch, a Founding Member of ETSI NFV Network Operator Council, a Steering Board Member of WWRF, and a Scientific Advisory Board Member of Singapore National Research Foundation.
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Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
David Willis has been appointed Group Director, Spectrum, bringing 30 years of technology and telecom experience in government and industry to the role. David joins Ofcom’s Senior Management Team.
He joined Ofcom to oversee its Spectrum Group, which ensures that the UK’s wireless spectrum – a valuable, finite national resource – is used efficiently and effectively.
Most recently David was President of the Communications Research Centre, the Government of Canada’s research centre for advanced wireless telecommunications, spectrum management and helping to improve broadband services for Canadians.
Before this David led the Spectrum Engineering and Planning team at Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada. Here his work included international spectrum standards; wireless spectrum engineering and planning; satellite spectrum policy, licensing and coordination; and leading the Canadian delegation at the 2019 World Radio Communication Conference.
David has also held leadership roles in product management, operations and engineering at BlackBerry and Nortel Networks.
Philip Marnick is the General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). He was appointed early January 2022 by the Members of the Board, to assume the position, paving the way for a more effective regulatory framework by continuing the evolution of the telecom sector liberalization.
Mr Marnick leads the TRA, including the development of consumer protection initiatives and resolving disputes. The TRA develops regulatory rules that promote competition, innovation, and investment in broadband services and facilities, as well as developing a more comprehensive and competitive framework that aligns with international best practices. Ensuring that Bahrain remains a center of innovation and that its telecommunications sector serves everyone while supporting Bahrain’s strategic objectives.
Before assuming his role at the TRA, Mr Marnick managed and directed at Ofcom in the UK, where he was the Group Director of Spectrum responsible for all aspects of UK national and international spectrum management – from strategy to delivery including awards, clearance and enforcement. Mr Marnick has worked in the telecommunications sector for over 30 years. He has served as a senior executive in technology, operations, and strategy. Mr Marnick has worked in both start-ups (from inception to sale) and major corporations, in firms such as UK Broadband, O2, Orange, BT, J-Phone in Japan (now Softbank Mobile), Extreme Mobile, and SpinVox (now Nuance).
From analogue to 5G, he has engaged across every mobile generation. Throughout his carrier he has been at the forefront of industry developments – in both fixed and mobile. He has collaborated on the first deployments of mobile networks utilizing new technologies and standards, this has also included innovative products such as the first camera phone and photo messaging service, as well as mobile internet and hosted voice services.
Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers from the 1984 batch. He had superannuated as Chairman & CEO, Railway Board on 31st August 2023 after a career spanning about 37 years Indian Railway. He is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior, with gold medal and has master’s degree in engineering (Structures) from IIT Roorkee. He has worked in various positions in the Central, Northern, North Central, Western, and West Central Railway, as well as in the Railway Board.
Besides Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, some of the important positions held by Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti include Member Infrastructure, Railway Board, General Manager of Central Railway and Western Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, Lucknow, Northern Railway, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Northern Railway and Executive Director, Railway Board. Post his retirement, Ministry of Railway had appointed him to a One-Man Expert Committee for improvement in inspection and maintenance of track. In December 2023, Gati Shakti Vishvavidyalaya, Vadodara, a Central University appointed him as a Distinguished Visiting Professor.
His expertise includes railway operations, track maintenance, project execution and station redevelopment. During his illustrious career, Shri Lahoti initiated several reforms in execution of infrastructure projects and took several initiatives to modernize and mechanize track maintenance on Indian Railways. During his stints as CRB & CEO, GM and DRM, he brought about significant improvement in freight transport performance and took several customer friendly initiatives to improve the quality of service and ease the customer interface. He has also extensively contributed to planning and structuring of station redevelopment projects in various positions served by him.
Shri Lahoti has travelled to various countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia in connection with official assignments. He has undertaken executive training programmes at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, SDA Bocconi Business School, Milan, Italy and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Erzsébet Fitori has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking in October 2023.
Previously, she was responsible for Vodafone Group’s engagement with the EU institutions and stakeholders, heading Vodafone’s Brussels office and as Board Director in industry organisations. Before joining Vodafone in 2020, Erzsébet was Director General of the FTTH Council Europe, the pan-European trade association representing over 160 technology innovators, network operators, and investors across the fiber value chain. As chief executive, she focused on transforming it into a growing organisation, increasing its membership base, revenues, and engagement with key decision-makers.
She joined the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), where she represented 100+ challenger telecom operators. As Director of ECTA, she oversaw its public policy, regulatory, and PR activities and led ECTA’s engagement with the EU institutions, national regulators, and governments. Before joining ECTA, she was Head of Regulatory Affairs at Telenor Hungary in Budapest. In her early career, Erzsébet was an assistant professor in the department of European law and private international law at the University of Miskolc, Hungary.
Charles Cooper is Associate Administrator in NTIA’s Office of Spectrum Management. He leads the agency’s work on national and international spectrum policy issues, and oversees spectrum management efforts for federal agencies. He is responsible for frequency assignment and certification, and other strategic planning functions including development of innovation approaches to spectrum sharing.
Before joining NTIA in July, 2019, Cooper was the Enforcement Bureau Field Director at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) where he managed the nationwide enforcement of spectrum interference affecting public safety communications, FCC licensees and Federal agencies. Prior to serving as Field Director, Cooper was District Director of the FCC’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Cooper also served as senior engineer and partner with du Treil, Lundin, and Rackley, Inc., an engineering firm specializing in radio frequency coordination and design. Cooper is a recognized subject matter expert on engineering principles applicable to a wide mix of communications technologies. He is a member and two-term past president of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE).
Work on laying the groundwork for 6G is continuing at pace. The last 12 months has seen the emergence of a number of 6G ‘visions’ at both regional and national levels, and also globally through ITU’s IMT-2030 framework. As we move closer to a 6G reality, this session will look at some of these frameworks and visions that have been put forward in different regions around the world, and how these are set to shape the reality of 6G. explore whether a consensus is emerging when it comes to the shape of the 6G future and at the different elements, drivers and use-cases that will be a part of this.
• What progress has been made on developing the 6G vision and roadmap?
• Is it becoming clear what we trying to achieve with 6G? What is the difference between this and 5G / 5G Advanced?
• What different plans for 6G are emerging around the world and what different elements are being discussed (network performance, customer experience, reliability, sustainability etc.)?
• What similarities are being seen in these emerging visions and where are there differences? Is a consensus emerging?
• What are the key drivers of 6G from both a societal and government standpoint?
• What role will emerging new technologies such as AI and quantum computing play in shaping the 6G ecosystem? What visions for the integration of 6G with these and other enabling technologies are already emerging around the world?
• What needs to be done to overcome some of the perceived scepticism around 6G (possibly based on key objectives of 5G not yet being hit?)
• What regulatory frameworks are needed to facilitate global 6G adoption while considering evolving technologies and diverse national interests?
• How can we foster a culture of innovation and collaboration among academia, industry, and government to drive 6G research and development?
Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
Matthew Baker is a Nokia Bell Labs Fellow and leads a RAN standardization team at Nokia. Prior to starting to address 6G, he has contributed to the standardization of 3G, 4G, 5G and 5G-Advanced in 3GPP, where he held the posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 between 2009 and 2017. He holds degrees in Engineering and Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, UK. He is co-editor of the book “LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: From Theory to Practice”, has authored many papers and holds several hundred patents in the field of mobile communications.
Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
Professor Konstantinos Masselos has been appointed as the President of the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) in February 2018. He has been elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for 2019.
In 2006 he joined University of Peloponnese, where he is currently a Professor in Computing Systems Design in the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications. Konstantinos served as Rector of the above university the period 2012-2017. During the period 2005 to 2008, he was Lecturer in digital systems at the Imperial College London. Also from 2010 to 2016 he served as Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, at the Imperial College London. From 2001 to 2004 he joined Intracom Telecom SA in Greece.
Konstantinos has been involved in several research and development projects and has consulting experience in industry and public organizations. Since 2005 he has been regularly involved as an expert in different European Commission units. Additionally, Konstantinos was member of the Scientific Committee of European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) organization from 2015 to 2017. He has authored more than 120 papers in international journals and conferences.
Ms. Nakata has entered Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan in 2011.
She has been engaged in many Telecom/ICT policy fields, from International Cooperation in Asian countries to data exchange market. In recent years, she devoted herself in policy making and enforcement of mobile tariffs regulations, promoting competition and consumer protection in Japan. She was also in Personal Information Protection Commission, negotiating with European Commission on Adequacy Decision for GDPR as well as with OECD on Government Access discussion, enhancing Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT). Currently, she is based in Brussels, as a MIC representative and as a Director of Brussels Representative Office for Foundation for MultiMedia Communications (FMMC).
She has LL.M. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and MPA (Master of Public Administration) from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
Dimitra Simeonidou is a Full Professor at the University of Bristol, the Co-Director of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and the Director of Smart Internet Lab. Her research is focusing on the fields of high-performance networks, programmable networks, Future Internet, wireless-optical convergence, 5G/6G and smart city infrastructures. In the past few years, she is increasingly working with Social Sciences and Humanities on topics of climate change and digital transformation for society and businesses. Dimitra has been the Technical Architect and the CTO of the smart city project Bristol Is Open. She is currently leading the Bristol City/Region 5G and Open RAN pilots.
Dimitra is a member of the DSIT Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council, a founding member of UKTIN and has led major research projects funded by UKRI and the EC. She is currently coordinating the DSIT REASON project developing blueprint architectures and technologies for 6G.
She is the author and co-author of over 700 publications, numerous patents and several contributions to standards. She has been co-founder of three spin-out companies developing solutions for connected smart infrastructures.
Dimitra is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), a Fellow of the IEEE (FIEEE), Fellow of WWRF, a Royal Society Wolfson Scholar and member of UKCRC
Peng serves as the Vice-President of Policy & Regulatory at GSOA, where he spearheads advocacy efforts in critical policy and regulatory domains, including spectrum management, market access, and national policy initiatives. With a rich background in the telecommunications sector and expertise across mobile and satellite industries, he’s been advising governments and telecom industry globally.
Before joining GSOA, Peng played a pivotal role at Eutelsat OneWeb in shaping international regulatory and policy frameworks, focusing on delivering satellite licensing structures to accommodate Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, and tailoring satellite regulatory procedure during WRC-23. Prior to this, at GSMA, Peng was responsible for the global campaign aimed at optimizing spectrum licensing conditions for mobile operators worldwide. He led a diverse team of policy experts across developing markets, engaging policymakers and regulators to advocate for industry best practices in telecom policy.
Peng holds a Master’s degree in Telecommunication from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne, complemented by an Executive MBA from the London Business School. Peng is fluent in English, Mandarin, and French.
Matthew Baker is a Nokia Bell Labs Fellow and leads a RAN standardization team at Nokia. Prior to starting to address 6G, he has contributed to the standardization of 3G, 4G, 5G and 5G-Advanced in 3GPP, where he held the posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 between 2009 and 2017. He holds degrees in Engineering and Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, UK. He is co-editor of the book “LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: From Theory to Practice”, has authored many papers and holds several hundred patents in the field of mobile communications.
6G envisions a world where wireless connectivity is not just ubiquitous, but also intelligent, immersive, and ultra-reliable. To translate these ambitious visions into reality, the next step now requires a rigorous standardization process, which will involve international collaboration among standard-setting bodies, industry players, research institutions and policymakers. This session will look at the work that has already begun in defining and setting these standards and in developing international collaborations that is vital in order to minimize geopolitical tensions that could lead to the emergence competing standards and technologies. With 6G expected to not just be about faster data speeds but also about fundamentally reimagining how we interact with the world around us, it will look at how standards can help to keep this human element central to 6G development, as well as other key elements such as sustainability and privacy/security. Ultimately, it will look at the best way forward to ensure the delivery of a single global standard that will ensure consistency and economy of scale in 6G rollout and enable its benefits to be felt across societies everywhere.
• How will 6G standards differ from 5G? What lessons can be learnt from the 5G standardisation processes and how can these be taken forward as focus switches to 6G?
• What needs to be done to overcome key geopolitical and technical obstacles in order to deliver global interoperability in 6G standardization? What work in this area has already begun?
• What role should governments and other stakeholders play in shaping 6G standards and ensuring equitable access? How can they foster collaboration between industry stakeholders and the research community?
• How can we ensure that 6G standardization addresses the needs of developing countries and bridges the digital divide?
• What are the key technical features and capabilities that should be prioritized in 6G standards?
• To what extent is shared spectrum going to play a part in delivering the 6G connectivity ecosystem? How does this element and the requirement to potentially work around existing incumbent services in bands need to be considered when developing standards?
• Is 6G the last ‘G’? What will come next? Do we need the standardisation world to continue evolving in the same way?
Prior to joining GSA, Adrian Scrase worked within the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) from 1992, serving as Chief Technical Officer from 2003. He played an active role in the creation of 3GPP and was responsible for operational support to that project from 1999 until 2023. He has extensive experience in the operation and management of international standardisation activities and in the setting of strategies that ensure the success of those activities. Before joining ETSI, he worked within the UK Government on Radio Regulation and International Standardization matters. Adrian is a Visiting Professor at Surrey University, UK, and a Fellow of the Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF).
David is currently the ETSI Director of New Technologies (NET), which involves tracking the latest ICT technology and business trends and all relevant research initiatives in order to identify appropriate technology standards needs and future opportunities for ETSI.
In addition, he works on outreach initiatives towards the research and academic communities, both in Europe and globally, as well as engaging with key European research programs such as Horizon Europe.
David has more than 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications sector, which includes over 20 years’ working in ICT standardization supporting both 3GPP and ETSI Technical and strategic groups.
Mr. Takehiro Nakamura is now Chief Standardization Officer in NTT DOCOMO, Inc. Mr. Nakamura has been engaged in R&D and the standardization activities for advanced radio and network technologies of W-CDMA, HSPA, LTE/LTE-Advanced, 5G and 6G, and engaged in strengthening inter-industry collaboration. He has been contributing to standardization activities in ARIB, ITU and 3GPP since 1997, including as vice chair and chair of 3GPP TSG-RAN from 2005 to 2013.
Currently, he plays important roles to promote and accelerate 5G and 6G in Japan and globally as the Acting Chairman of Strategy & Planning Committee and the leader of Millimeter wave Promotion Ad Hoc of 5G Mobile Communications Promotion Forum(5GMF), the leader of Cellular System Task Group of ITS Info-communications Forum, the leader of White Paper Subcommittee in Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium in Japan and the Board member of 5G-ACIA.
Angeliki Alexiou is a professor of Broadband Communications Systems at the department of Digital Systems, ICT School, University of Piraeus, Greece. She received the Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens in 1994 and the PhD in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London in 2000.
Since May 2009 she has been a faculty member at the Department of Digital Systems, where she conducts research and teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Broadband Communications and Advanced Wireless Technologies. Prior to this appointment she was with Bell Laboratories, Wireless Research, Lucent Technologies, (later Alcatel-Lucent, now NOKIA), in Swindon, UK, (January 1999 – April 2009).
Professor Alexiou is a co-recipient of Bell Labs President’s Gold Award in 2002 for contributions to Bell Labs Layered Space-Time (BLAST) project and the Central Bell Labs Teamwork Award in 2004 for role model teamwork and technical achievements in the IST FITNESS project. Professor Alexiou is the Chair of the Working Group on Radio Communication Technologies and of the Working Group on High Frequencies Radio Technologies of the Wireless World Research Forum. Her current research interests include radio interface for 6G systems, MIMO, THz wireless communication technologies, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces, Joint Communications and Sensing Machine Learning for wireless systems. She is the project coordinator of the (H2020) TERRANOVA project and the technical manager of (H2020) ARIADNE project and (SNS JU) INSTINCT project.
Ulrich heads the external standardization engagement for Nokia. He is responsible for global and regional standardization including radio spectrum aspects. Ulrich is a Vice President and Executive Committee member of the Global Mobile Supplier Association (GSA). He also serves in the Board of the Metaverse Standards Forum. Between 2022 and 2024, he served as a board member to the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network Global Forum (IOWN-GF). From 2018 to 2022 he was also Board Member of the 5G Association for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA).
Prior to his current role Ulrich was responsible for Nokia Networks Industry Environment activities. Between 2007 and 2012 Ulrich lead the NSN 3GPP standardization team and has served as Head
of Delegation to 3GPP.
Between 1996 and 2007, Ulrich held various positions in R&D of Siemens Mobile Networks unit. He was responsible for standardization activities of the core network business unit and managed Siemens 3GPP activities. Ulrich had instrumental role in the definition of the UMTS architecture as well as in set up of project management in 3GPP.
Ulrich holds a Ph.D. from Télécom ParisTech from 1996; his research area was the definition of 3G Radio Interface and his research was part of EU collaborative research program (RACE II ATDMA). He holds a Master Degree (Dipl-Ing) in Telecommunication from the RWTH, Aachen from 1992.
The world in 2030 will undoubtably look very different to that of today. 6G alongside other emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing are evolving at a fantastic pace and are set to fundamentally change the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. They will not only revolutionise existing industries but also create entirely new ones, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. However, navigating this transformative journey requires responsible development, ethical considerations, and a focus on human-centred innovation. This session will explore the expected evolution of 6G alongside other emerging and enabling technologies and network architectures. It will explore some of the some of the innovative applications that could emerge, including immersive telepresence, hyper-connected cities, real-time remote surgery and next-generation robotics; and if we are indeed on the brink of a new digital revolution, explore the challenges and opportunities that this may bring.
• As 6G and other technologies develop, how can we develop governance and regulatory frameworks that ensure that the transformational potential of these technologies is delivered around the world in a responsible and ethical way?
• What transformative potential is offered across different vertical industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, smart cities, and autonomous vehicles? Are we on the brink of a new digital revolution?
• How can vertical industries get involved in the early stages of technology development in order to help shape a future connectivity ecosystem that enables them to maximise the benefits that are on offer?
• How can we develop governance and regulatory frameworks that foster innovation while addressing concerns around security, privacy, sustainability? How can it be ensured that technologies evolve in a responsible way and that ethical considerations are embedded throughout?
• What emerging use cases and innovative applications enabled by 6G are likely to have the greatest impact?
• How can vertical industries get involved in the early stages of technology development in order to help shape a future connectivity ecosystem that enables them to maximise the benefits that are on offer? How important is collaboration in order to ensure that the full potential of 6G is harnessed across different vertical sectors, and what role do different stakeholders need to play in delivering this?
Katrin Sjöberg is employed as a technical adviser at Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) in Sweden, entailing involvement in research to final product with focus on frequency spectrum, standardization, and regulation related to wireless connectivity for Volvo products. Since 2009, she has been active in ETSI standardization on intelligent transport system (ITS), where she currently leads the standardization work as chair of ETSI TC ITS WG4 and TC ERM TG37. In addition, she is active in the trade association for European automotive manufacturers ACEA and represents ACEA’s interests in the EC EG-RE (Expert Group on Radio Equipment) and in CEPT. Katrin holds a PhD from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Joe Butler is a highly respected and well recognised technology leader with a career that has ranged from startups and scaleups to some of the UK’s largest technology and infrastructure projects at the heart of government. His previous roles include Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the radio spectrum and Director of AI and Machine Learning at Ofcom, and Director of Telecoms and Chief Scientific Advisor at DCMS.
At Ofcom, prior to leading on AI and machine learning policy and regulation, Joe worked on delivering multi-billion spectrum auctions for 4G and 5G. He was one of the authors of the National Infrastructure Commission report on 5G and the future of mobile communications, and spent his early career in developer and R&D roles at artificial intelligence startups and scaleups, as well as helping to develop a state of the art physics visual fx system used in multiple blockbuster films.
Joe now brings this wealth of experience to Digital Catapult in the role of Chief Technology Officer.
Dr. Wen Tong is the CTO, Huawei Wireless and a Huawei Fellow. He is the Head of Huawei Wireless Research, and the Huawei 5G Chief Scientist and led Huawei’s 10-year-long 5G wireless technologies research and development. Dr. Tong is the industry recognised leader in invention of advanced wireless technologies, Dr. Tong was elected as a Huawei Fellow and an IEEE Fellow. He was the recipient of IEEE Communications Society Industry Innovation Award in 2014, and IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Industry Leader Award for “pioneering technical contributions and leadership in the mobile communications industry and innovation in 5G mobile communications technology” in 2018. He is also the recipient of R.A. Fessenden Medal. For the past three decades, he had pioneered fundamental technologies from 1G to 6G wireless. Prior to joining Huawei in 2009, Dr. Tong was the Nortel Fellow and head of the Network Technology Labs at Nortel. He joined the Wireless Technology Labs at Bell Northern Research in 1995 in Canada. Dr. Tong is a Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, and he serves as Board of Director of Wi-Fi Alliance.
Whilst it is difficult to put an accurate figure on the costs associated with 6G rollout, best estimates suggest that globally, it will likely be in the range of tens of trillions of dollars. This is significantly higher than the cost of previous cellular technology rollouts, reflecting the complexity and ambitious goals of 6G. This session will look at the different options and potential funding sources that are available to deliver this required investment, and the approaches and funding models that are starting to emerge in different regions around the world. It will discuss the commercial opportunities that will be enabled by 6G, and the way in which stakeholders can work together to develop an environment that enables these to be realised. With mobile operators having invested billions of dollars in 5G and arguably yet to see any major impact on sales, it will look at the lessons that can be taken from this and at what needs to be done by both the private and public sectors to ensure a more sustainable investment model and ultimately to secure the required funding to deliver on the 6G vision around the world.
• What are the estimated costs of developing and deploying 6G networks globally and how does this compare to previous generations? What are the expected economic and social returns on investment and how can we create a compelling business case for potential financiers?
• How can collaboration between different stakeholders, like mobile operators, technology companies, and research institutions, help mitigate financial risks and foster innovation?
• What needs to be done in order to secure the necessary funding and investment and what sources could this come from?
• What lessons can we learn from past successes and failures in financing previous generations of mobile networks, both from the private and public sectors?
• With mobile operators having invested billions of dollars in 5G and arguably yet to see any major impact on sales, how can a more sustainable investment model be developed for 6G?
• How many networks will a country need in a 6G era? With MNOs under intense pressure to invest more in networks even though revenues have been flat, should regulators still be promoting 3-4 wholesale operators, or consider championing a smaller number?
• How can technology providers ensure that they are building flexible and resilient solutions and long lasting and sustainable business models?
• Given the current economic climate, are there specific challenges to securing investment for 6G compared to past advancements?
• To what extent will there be a need for Government funding, particularly in rural areas and to ensure the ubiquitous nature of 6G? If this is the case then what is the best way to deploy subsidies to support efficient rollout of new networks and ensure cost-effective access?
• What potential exists for alternative funding models, like public-private partnerships or crowd-sourcing?
Marc Eschenburg is a Partner at Aetha Consulting, a specialist telecommunications strategy consultancy which advises players in the industry on major strategic and regulatory decisions.
For the last years, Marc has been very active in the area of spectrum management, advising operators and regulators on issues such as spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, auction support and spectrum pricing. His particular area of expertise lies in overseeing the development of spectrum valuation models ahead of auctions and he has supported spectrum managers and bidders in preparations for over 30 award processes across the world.
Robert Mourik joined ComReg as Commissioner in 2019. From 7 January 2022 he became Chairperson.
Robert has almost thirty years experience in the telecoms sector, as an industry executive and as Government official. Prior to joining ComReg, he worked for Cubic Telecom, a new entrant in the automotive IoT space, where he was responsible for all wholesale activities. Robert spent almost 10 years in Telefonica as the European Regulatory Strategy Director at their corporate HQ in Madrid and as Strategy Director in Ireland. He also worked for Vodafone Group, as its head of the Brussels Office and in the regulatory department in Newbury, UK. In 1991, Robert began his career in the Dutch Department for Transport and Telecommunication and from 1994 until 1999 he served, as Telecom Attaché at the Netherlands’ Permanent Representation in Brussels. He was a Member and Chair of the Council Telecoms Working Group in 1998 when the first telecom regulatory package was adopted. Robert was born in the Netherlands and studied Economics and Public Policy at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and the University of Hull (UK).
Luigi Ardito is currently working as Director of government affairs for Europe, Middle East and North Africa at Qualcomm and drives the Qualcomm spectrum and regulatory policy agenda in Europe and MENA dealing with various government entities and industry organizations.
Prior to joining Qualcomm, Luigi worked for over a decade at Sony Corporation both in Japan and in the UK. Luigi also gained professional experience at France Telecom and at the Italian Public Broadcaster RAI.
Luigi has extensive experience in the Media and Telecom industry as well as the Semiconductor Industry gained through his assignments at Qualcomm, Sony, France Telecom and RAI. He holds an Electronic Engineering Degree gained at the Politecnico di Torino in Italy and a Master of Business Administration gained at the Henley Management College in the UK.
Mark has been in telecommunications for over 25 years, with diverse roles in Fixed and Mobile with AOL, Orange, Wanadoo, EE and now as part of BT. Mark has played a significant role in delivering many strategic projects including Spectrum Auctions, 3G/4G/5G launch, the Emergency Services Network contract for Public safety services over LTE, Local loop un-bundling, Radio Access Network sharing and Network mergers and Acquisitions. Mark is currently Director of Network & Spectrum Strategy at BT.
Ian leads analysis of network technology at CCS Insight, including: the evolution of
the access network to support 5G standalone, Open RAN, virtualization and new
3GPP releases; the technologies needed to support rising data usage and new
classes of devices; increasing AI & automation; and future 6G innovations such as
network sensing. Prior to joining CCS Insight, Ian was VP Analysis at Opensignal, a
mobile analytics company. Earlier in his career he was an analyst at IHS (now
Omdia) and Forrester. Before becoming an analyst, he held product and marketing
roles at 3, Cable & Wireless and Psion.
Julia Lopez was appointed Minister of State jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 20 December 2023.
Julia was a Minister on Leave from 9 May to 20 December.
Julia was previously appointed Minister of State in the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 March 2023.
Julia was previously appointed Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 7 February 2023.
Julia was previously Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport from 7 September 2022 to 7 February 2023.
She was also Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport between 16 September 2021 and 6 July 2022, and Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office from 14 February 2020 to 15 September 2021.
Mr. Mario Maniewicz was elected Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He took office on 1 January 2019.
Mario Maniewicz is an electronic engineer specialized in telecommunications. He has been with the ITU for over 30 years, where he has held various positions of responsibility in the Radiocommunication and Development Bureaux as well as in ITU Regional Offices.
As Director, Mr. Maniewicz is responsible for the management of the Radiocommunication Bureau, which organizes and co-ordinates the work of the Radiocommunication Sector whose aim is to ensure the rational, equitable, efficient and economical use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.
6G will not be like any other ‘G’, and its arrival is likely to have an impact across almost all areas of the connectivity ecosystem. From the way in which connectivity is delivered, to the interaction between different providers and the way in which spectrum is allocated and accessed, innovative applications, technologies and approaches will be required in order to meet the connectivity requirements of the future connected world. This session will explore the likely evolution of the connectivity environment and the framework that governs access to spectrum as we move towards the era of 6G. It will look at the impact that new market entrants and changing relationships between connectivity providers may have on the broader ecosystem, and on how this may impact the way in which spectrum is allocated and accessed. In an increasingly crowded and complex telecoms landscape, how can creative policy measures and advancing technologies be harnessed to ensure the delivery of the required connectivity both for 6G and for other key technologies?
• How is the mobile network ecosystem set to change as we move towards 6G, and to what extent are new entrants, hyperscalers and systems integrators set to increasingly play a role in future markets?
• What differences are likely to be seen in the mobile operator of 2030 compared to the mobile operator of today?
• What will be the likely shape of future networks? Will there be more integration between mobile / fixed / NTN networks or will there still be strict boundaries?
• How will this impact the way in which spectrum is allocated and accessed? What innovative new ways of using the spectrum in these bands could be used and what needs to be done to at a regulatory level to allow this innovation to thrive?
• What role is Open RAN set to play in the development of 6G architecture, and how can this help to lower costs and drive forward innovation?
• What role should governments play in nurturing a diverse 6G ecosystem?
• To what extent could the emergence of new technologies and the evolution of relationships and partnerships between mobile operators and NTNs change the overall telecom landscape?
• Will 6G finally deliver the vision of being a ‘network of networks’ with individuals having seamless connectivity to Wi-Fi, traditional mobile networks, satellite? What impact could integration in this way have on coverage, resilience and service levels?
Marc Eschenburg is a Partner at Aetha Consulting, a specialist telecommunications strategy consultancy which advises players in the industry on major strategic and regulatory decisions.
For the last years, Marc has been very active in the area of spectrum management, advising operators and regulators on issues such as spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, auction support and spectrum pricing. His particular area of expertise lies in overseeing the development of spectrum valuation models ahead of auctions and he has supported spectrum managers and bidders in preparations for over 30 award processes across the world.
Artur Coimbra de Oliveira has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Law from UnB, with an MBA in Business Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas. He has been a member of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office since 2007, having previously been a Regulatory Specialist at Anatel. He served as an advisor to the Specialized Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Anatel and to the Presidency of the Republic. He was Director of Broadband at the Ministry of Communications and Secretary of Telecommunications from 2011 to 2022. During this period, he participated in the group formulating the National Broadband Program, chaired the Steering Committee of the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite project and He was a member of the Anatel Advisory Board.
Amjad El Nayal is a telecommunications engineer based in Bahrain. He currently serves as the Manager of Technology at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Bahrain, where he heads the industry technology portfolio covering everything from the adoption of the latest wireless technologies, to the national fibre network, advanced satellite communication and the Quality of Service and Experience from different access technologies, as well as emerging technologies such as AI, Industrial IoT and the innovations that they bring. He has been in the telecommunications industry for 18 years and has held multiple roles in mobile network engineering, business development, product marketing, consumer affairs and spectrum management, industry digitization and as well as advisory roles in technical matters both internally to the regulator and externally to the Women in Tech Chapter of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and also called upon by the Ministry of Justice and Islamic affairs as a Telecoms subject expert on telecommunications court cases. He started his career at a telecommunications operator and then made the move to the national regulator, giving him a deep and holistic understanding of the telecommunications and ICT sector
Mr. Syed Tausif Abbas is currently working as Advisor in Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). He is responsible for regulatory and licensing matters related to Spectrum and Networks. He belongs to 1989 Batch of Indian Telecom Service officers and has got 30 years of experience in Telecom Sector. He has worked in various positions in telecom domains including telecom installations, telecom operations, maintenance, training division, licensing and policy formulation. Presently, in TRAI, he is associated with the work related to Mobile Networks, Spectrum and Telecom Licensing matters. He also deals with matters related to 5G Technologies, M2M Communications, IoT, PPDR Communications, Satellite Communications, Spectrum for IMT-2020 and Mobile Number Portability. He is an Engineering Graduate in Electronics & Telecommunications from University of Allahabad. Currently, he also holds the position of Chairman of SATRC Working Group on Spectrum at APT.
Isabelle Mauro is Director General of the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) that represents the interests of 29 global and regional satellite operators. She reports directly to their Chief Executives.
Under Isabelle’s leadership, GSOA and its member CEOs lead the effort to showcase the benefits of satellite communications for a more inclusive and secure society – vital to bridging the world’s digital divide, achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 5G ecosystem.
Isabelle has 25 years experience in the Telecoms and Technology sector, starting at the GSMA, where she was responsible for government and international Affairs. In 2015 she moved to New York to join the World Economic Forum as Head of Information, Communications and Technology Industries, managing the portfolio for 60+ Tech companies globally and leading initiatives on inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.
Isabelle is passionate about inclusion and sustainability. She is Chair of the High-Level Advisory Board of the DigitalGoesGreen Foundation. She also sits on the Advisory Board of Women in Tech and is a member of the UNESCO Advisory Group for the Declaration on Connectivity for Education.
Isabelle holds an MSc in European Politics and Policy from the London School of Economics. She is fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish.
Alex has spent her career in TMT, across Consultancy & Technology Strategy. In her current role, Director of Mobile Strategy & Innovation, she is engaged with evaluating emerging technologies and opportunities in the space, presently driving thinking on the opportunities associated with Network as a Service & 6G within Liberty Global
The availability of sufficient spectrum in a timely manner is of course essential for the success of 6G. At the end of last year, the outcomes from WRC-23 and the first preparatory meeting for WRC-27 gave the first concrete pointers at a global and regional level on the key spectrum frequencies that may be seen as the primary and pioneer bands for 6G. This session will reflect on these outcomes, and at the extent to which they are likely to shape the initial bands that are used for the launch of 6G. Widening the discussion and looking beyond WRC, it will look at how much spectrum will be required around the world across low, mid and high band frequencies and at how this can be balanced with the needs of other key spectrum users. Looking at the early work that has begun around the world to develop 6G connectivity and spectrum roadmaps, it will explore the extent to which coordination and alignment is being seen, and at where there are differences. whether harmonised global 6G spectrum bands and approaches are realistic.
• How much spectrum is it expected will be needed in different regions around the world to meet the needs of 6G and other future connectivity technologies in terms of both capacity and coverage?
• What mix of spectrum across low, mid and high band frequencies may be required? What options exist in each and are being considered in countries and regions around the world?
• What bands have been identified to be studied for 6G use ahead of WRC-27 across the different regions? To what extent is this likely to shape and decide the pioneer and priority bands for the launch of 6G in different regions around the world?
• Given the decisions taken at WRC-23 on the future of the upper 6GHz band across each region, to what extent could spectrum in this band play a part in 6G rollout?
• What role is spectrum allocated on a licenced, unlicenced and shared basis set to play a part in delivering 6G? As we move towards the 6G era, should we still be thinking of bands in terms of being allocated for a specific user (IMT, satellite etc.) or should we be looking to move towards a more technologically neutral approach? If so, how could this work and how could the rights of different users be protected?
• What initial work has begun in different regions around the world to develop strategic 6G spectrum roadmaps?
• To what extent is coordination and alignment across and between regions being seen and where are there differences?
• Is it still possible that a globally harmonised 6G pioneer band or bands can be identified in the same way that the 3.5GHz band became the global 5G capacity band? If so then which options offer the best potential for this?
• What could be the potential economic and technological consequences if convergence isn’t achieved across regions and countries?
Marja Matinmikko-Blue is the Research Director of the Infotech Oulu Institute and Director of Sustainability & Regulation at 6G Flagship at the University of Oulu, Finland, where she also holds an Adjunct Professor position in spectrum management. She completed her Doctor of Science degree in communications engineering in 2012, and Doctor of Philosophy degree in industrial engineering and management in 2018 at the University of Oulu. She has been conducting multi-disciplinary research into the technical, business, and regulatory aspects of future mobile communication systems in close collaboration with industry, academia, and regulators for over two decades. She has published 180+ scientific papers and prepared 160+ contributions to regulatory bodies.
Eric Fournier is currently Director for Spectrum Planning and International Affairs in the Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR), the French public agency in charge of spectrum management (www.anfr.fr).
In this capacity, he is responsible for preparing the revisions of the French national table of spectrum allocation and for coordinating French positions in international meetings and conferences on spectrum within ITU, CEPT and EU. He was deputy head of the French delegation for RRC-06, WRC-07, WRC-12, WRC-15 and WRC-19.
He is currently chairman of the RSPG, a high-level advisory group that assists the European Commission in the development of radio spectrum policy. He has been involved in all discussions on major evolutions of spectrum in Europe and was Chairman of the Electronic Communication Committee (CEPT/ECC) from 2013 to 2018 and of the European Conference Preparatory Group for the World Radiocommunications Conference 2012 (CPG-12).
Eric is a graduate telecom engineer from SUPELEC (France).
Dr Mike Short CBE , after 30 years in telecommunications with Telefonica, joined the Department for International Trade as the department’s first chief scientific adviser in December 2017.
Mike leads the science and engineering profession in the department and ensures its policy is informed by the best science, engineering and technical advice. He advises on the technical aspects of future trade deals as DIT looks to create new arrangements following Brexit, and works with the UK’s research, development and academic communities to boost scientific and engineering exports.
Mike has over 40 years’ experience in electronics and telecommunications and served as vice president of Telefonica, the parent company of the O2 mobile phone network, for 17 years to December 2016. In this post, he managed the launch of 2G (GSM) and 3G mobile technologies in the UK, and led research and development for Telefonica Europe. His career also includes the promotion of international technical standards in mobile technology, and he is also a former Chairman of the Global GSM Association, the UK Mobile Data Association, and president of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
He is currently a visiting professor at the universities of Surrey, Coventry, Leeds, Lancaster and Salford, where in recent years he has led the development on collaborations in areas such as smart cities, digital healthcare, cybersecurity and driverless vehicles.
He was honoured with a CBE in 2012 for his services to the mobile industry.
Ross is a long-term special adviser to the GSMA on government affairs across a number of issues affecting mobile broadband growth. He fulfils this role through his consultancy business RB Communications. Prior to this Ross worked at Access Partnership where he served as a director charged with government affairs and as a financial analyst for the mobile and satellite industries at TelecomFinance.
Erika Tejedor is Director of Government and Industry relations at Ericsson and focuses on ensuring harmonized future spectrum availability for 5G globally. She has been with Ericsson for over 10 years and during this time, she has focused on spectrum from different perspectives: research, product development, 3GPP RAN4 standardization, spectrum regulation. At the moment, Erika focuses on ITU-R activities and coordinates spectrum related work among the different regions.
Professor Harald Haas received his PhD degree from The University of Edinburgh in 2001. He is a Distinguished Professor of Mobile Communications at the University of Strathclyde/Glasgow, Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh and the Director of the LiFi Research and Development Centre (LRDC). Prof Haas founded pureLiFi Ltd. and currently holds the position of Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). His most recent research interests are in combining physics and communication theory towards designing secure, high-speed and net-zero wireless multi-user access networks including distributed x-haul networks using the optical spectrum.
He has co-authored more than 650 conference and journal papers with more than 50,000 citations and holds more than 45 patents. He has been listed as highly cited researcher by Clarivate/Web of Science annually since 2017. Prof. Haas has delivered two TED talks and one TEDx talk which have been watched online more than 5.5 million times. In 2016, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from the International Solid State Lighting Alliance.
Prof Haas was awarded a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award in 2017. In 2019 he received the IEEE Vehicular Society James Evans Avant Garde Award and the Enginuity The Connect Places Innovation Award in 2021. In 2022 he was the recipient of a Humboldt Research Award for his research achievements to date. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
Since the 2G and 3G eras, spectrum auctions have been a favoured method of regulators around the world in order to allocate and licence spectrum. As we move towards 6G however, it likely that a much more flexible approach to spectrum allocation will be required in order to meet connectivity needs across different technologies and use cases. This raises the question of whether there may be a need for a rethink in the way in which spectrum is allocated, and the award processes that are used. This interactive ‘pause for thought’ discussion will explore these issues and at whether auctions are still likely to be the right tool for spectrum allocation in the 6G era.
• What impact may the switch towards a more flexible and diverse ecosystem incorporating sharing and multiple technologies and users operating across multiple bands have on the spectrum award and allocation processes in a 6G world?
• What innovative new licensing models and approaches may emerge? Are we still going to see specific bands licenced to specific services or will there be a further shift towards technology neutrality and spectrum sharing?
• How will this impact the way in which spectrum is allocated and how may regulators have to adapt traditional methods of assigning and licensing?
• What might be the implications of some of the public policy and social objectives of 6G (for example on delivering rural connectivity) have on how spectrum is made available?
• Will we see a decline of spectrum auctions as we know them today with a single auction and set valuations for spectrum in specific frequencies?
• If auctions in this way do start to become used less, what alternative models could replace these?
• How can spectrum bands be valued in this new flexible environment that we are likely to see?
Richard Marsden specializes in market design, including auctions and trading, bidding strategy, and related competition, pricing, regulatory, and public policy issues. He applies this expertise to multiple industries, including broadcasting, energy, mobile telephony, procurement, radio spectrum, technology, and transport to help his clients create or participate in new marketplaces.
Over the last 20 years, Mr. Marsden has provided guidance to regulators, private companies, and law firms in more than 50 countries. His teams at NERA are particularly well known for their work on the design and implementation of high-value auctions and the development of effective bid strategies. To support this work, the team has developed a suite of software tools for running, simulating, and analysing auctions.
In the communications sector, Mr. Marsden’s experience includes auction design and implementation, bid strategy advisory work, expert witness reports, and litigation support concerning spectrum allocation, spectrum pricing, spectrum valuation, and mobile market competition. He has advised clients on spectrum auction design and implementation for 4G and 5G mobile spectrum in Belgium, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Africa. Mr. Marsden has also provided bid strategy advice to mobile operators participating in auctions for 4G and 5G mobile frequencies in more than 30 countries, including spectrum auctions in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US. This work often includes developing or critiquing valuation models. He has also advised on auctions procuring subsidies for broadband rollout.
In the energy sector, Mr. Marsden has designed auctions for electricity interconnection capacity, offshore wind generation sites, and gas pipeline capacity. Additionally, he has advised energy companies participating in capacity market and offshore wind auctions.
In the technology sector, Mr. Marsden has advised companies on the design of auctions for procurement processes, pricing of used products for resale, and regulatory processes for inducing competition in vertically integrated markets.
Mr. Marsden frequently presents and publishes on topics related to market design, auctions, the communications industry, and spectrum management. He has completed major studies for the GSMA on spectrum pricing and for the European Commission on the transfer of digital dividend spectrum from broadcast to mobile use and on spectrum trading and spectrum liberalization. He contributed a chapter to the Handbook of Spectrum Auction Design on combinatorial auctions and is the co-author of Broadband in Europe: How Brussels Can Wire the Information Society.
As has been discussed, the promise of 6G is undeniable: hyper-fast speeds, ubiquitous connectivity, and transformative applications that will touch every aspect of our lives. But with this immense potential comes a crucial responsibility – safeguarding the security and resilience of this next-generation network. As the threat landscape evolves with the emergence of 6G but also other key technologies, there will be a need to take a proactive stance in addressing the security challenges that are posed. This discussion will look at some of the specific cyber challenges that are likely to emerge with 6G, and at how approaches to security may have to evolve alongside these to keep pace. It will explore the challenges of protecting privacy, preventing cyberattacks, and keeping the network running smoothly in the face of disruptions, and at how stakeholders all over the world will need to come together in order to ensure a secure and resilient future 6G network.
• How will the increased complexity of 6G networks (e.g., edge computing, distributed intelligence) impact attack surfaces and potential vulnerabilities?
• How can it be ensured at this early stage that security is built in to all aspects of the 6G supply chain and network architectures?
• What updates may need to be made to existing regulations and cyber frameworks to cope with the complexities of 6G?
• How can AI be used to develop proactive and adaptive security measures for 6G, mitigating threats like cyberattacks and malicious actors?
• Conversely, what new risks to cybersecurity and individual privacy may be created by increased integration of AI and quantum computing in 6G? How can we develop robust privacy-preserving policy frameworks for data protection?
• How can international cooperation be fostered to address the evolving threat landscape and share best practices?
• Should specific regulations be implemented for high-risk applications relying on 6G (e.g., autonomous vehicles, healthcare)?
Dr. Madhusanka Liyanage is an Assistant Professor/Ad Astra Fellow and Director of Graduate Research at the School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Ireland. He is also acting as a Adjunct Professor at the University of Oulu, Finland, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka and the University of Sri Jayawardhanepura, Sri Lanka. He received his Doctor of Technology degree in communication engineering from the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland, in 2016. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship and Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship during 2018-2020.
In 2020, he received the “2020 IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher” award by IEEE ComSoc EMEA. In 2021 and 2022, he was ranked among the World’s Top 2% Scientists (2020 and 2021) in the List prepared by Elsevier BV, Stanford University, USA. Also, he was awarded an Irish Research Council (IRC) Research Ally Prize as part of the IRC Researcher of the Year 2021 awards for the positive impact he has made as a supervisor. In 2022, he received “2022 The Tom Brazil Excellence in Research Award” by SFI CONNECT Center. Moreover, Madhusanka received a Special Commendation for IRC Early Career Researcher of 2022 by Irish Research Council, Ireland.
Dr. Liyanage’s research interests are 5G/6G Security, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Explainable AI and Federated Learning (FL) security, Network Slicing, Internet of Things (IoT) and Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC). He has co-authored over 150 publications, including three authored books, four edited books and several patents in mobile network security domain. He is also an expert consultant at European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and a Funded Investigator of Science Foundation Ireland CONNECT Research Centre, Ireland. Moreover, he is an expert reviewer at different funding agencies in Europe, Asia and Oceania regions.
Bio coming shortly
David is a mobile telecoms and security specialist who runs Copper Horse Ltd, a software and security company based in Windsor, UK. He engages internationally on a number of telecoms, internet, future technology, engineering and policy topics. His company is currently focusing on research for AI model security, product security for the Internet of Things as well as future automotive cyber security.
David chairs the Fraud and Security Group at the GSMA. He authored the UK’s ‘Code of Practice for Consumer IoT Security’, in collaboration with UK government and industry colleagues and is a member of the UK’s Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council.
From 2015-2022 he sat on the Executive Board of the Internet of Things Security Foundation. He has worked in the mobile industry for over twenty years in security and engineering roles. Prior to this he worked in the semiconductor industry.
David holds an MSc in Software Engineering from the University of Oxford and a HND in Mechatronics from the University of Teesside. He lectured in Mobile Systems Security at the University of Oxford from 2012-2019 and served as a Visiting Professor in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics at York St John University.
He was awarded an MBE for services to Cyber Security in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2019.
He blogs from https://mobilephonesecurity.org and tweets @drogersuk
Charley Lewis (PhD, MComm) has extensive experience across the field of ICT sector policy and regulation, ranging from telecommunications and broadcasting to broadband and the Internet. His knowledge and expertise cover a wide array of key areas. These range from universal access and service, through the digital divide, consumer protection, quality of service, statistics, and indicators, to spectrum management and the 4th industrial revolution.
Dr Lewis’ varied career includes teaching Mathematics and English at high school level; Information Systems Analyst; Head of IT at COSATU (Congress of SA Trade Unions); Senior Lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand; and Independent Analyst and Researcher. He has managed and taught professional development and academic courses on ICT policy and regulation to policy-makers, regulators, and industry practitioners.
Dr Lewis holds a BA Hons in English, a Higher Education Diploma, an M Comm in Management of Information Systems, and the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He is a published author, with his book, Regulating Telecommunications in South Africa: Universal Access and Service (Palgrave Press, 2020) following on from the research for his award-winning PhD thesis.
Dr Lewis served on the Ministerial Task Team on Post-Covid-19 Economic Response Strategy, having previously been appointed to serve on South Africa’s national ICT Policy Review Panel (2012-2015).
In August 2020 Dr Lewis was appointed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies to serve a four-year term as Councillor at the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa. He was further recently appointed as an Adjunct Professor at the University of the Western Cape.
Naima Hassan Dimbil is the head of the Interconnection, wholesale, and Universal Access Department in the National Communications Authority, Naima has a first-class bachelor’s degree in Electrical engineering (Telecommunications engineering division) as well as a Master’s Degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Naima is Skilled Telecommunications Engineer specialized in communications management, enabling regulatory environment, emerging technologies, Telecommunications networks, and information security. Experienced in ICT regulations and policy drafting in such topics as Telecommunications networks interconnection, Telecommunications Pricing and tariffs, Universal access and services, and Infrastructure sharing.
Whilst the sustainability of networks was a part of initial discussions in the development phase of 5G, this ultimately got overtaken, with focus instead shifting towards the optimisation of performance and speed. As we move towards 6G, sustainability is now seen as the key driver of 6G research and development, and differently to 5G and previous generations is set to be prioritised ahead of the usual performance-driven perspective. This session will look at the new technologies and new thinking that will be required in order to deliver the performance and capacity promised by 6G whilst simultaneously lowering the network’s overall energy consumption. It will explore the best way forward to measure and track the environmental and social impact of 6G, and the collaborative efforts between governments, industry, and research institutions that will be required in order to ensure that targets and KPIs can be achieved. And finally it will explore how the delivery of a sustainable 6G network can foster a greener future across industries, and enable new use cases that reduce environmental footprints across societies and businesses.
• What are the major differences that it is hoped that 6G will offer over 5G and other previous generations when it comes to making an impact on environmental sustainability?
• Who are the key stakeholders responsible for driving sustainability in 6G? How can effective collaboration between governments, industry players, academia, and the public be fostered?
• How can regulations balance the need for innovation and competition in the 6G market with the goal of achieving environmental sustainability?
• How can we effectively measure and track the environmental and social impact of 6G? What key performance indicators (KPIs) should we prioritise?
• What are the biggest hurdles to achieving true sustainability with 6G? Are there potential trade-offs between performance and sustainability goals?
• How can we establish international standards and norms that ensure global adherence to sustainable practices in 6G?
• How can it be ensured that 6G networks are designed and built in way that drives environmental and social sustainability across all areas of society?
• What can 6G and the use cases that it enables do to drive sustainability across societies and businesses more broadly?
Professor Timothy O’Farrell currently holds the Chair in Wireless Communication at the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK. He specializes in the design of energy efficient wireless networks, direct digitisation in multiband software defined radios, and waveform design for wireless communication systems. To date, he has published over 335 papers and led 26 major research projects on these topics. Professor O’Farrell was Academic Coordinator of the mVCE Green Radio project (2009-12); General Chair of the 5th International Workshop on Next Generation Green Wireless Networks (Next-GWiN 2018); and director of the UK Research Strategy Community Organisation in Communications, Mobile Computing and Networking (CommNet2, 2015-19). He is a chair of the GreenNet workshop at the IEEE International Conference on Communications in Rome 2023. He is director of the UKRI National 6G Radio Systems Facility, a director of the mVCE (mobilevce.com); and a member of the DSIT College of Experts (gov.uk/dsit) advising the UK government on wireless digital infrastructure.
Marja Matinmikko-Blue is the Research Director of the Infotech Oulu Institute and Director of Sustainability & Regulation at 6G Flagship at the University of Oulu, Finland, where she also holds an Adjunct Professor position in spectrum management. She completed her Doctor of Science degree in communications engineering in 2012, and Doctor of Philosophy degree in industrial engineering and management in 2018 at the University of Oulu. She has been conducting multi-disciplinary research into the technical, business, and regulatory aspects of future mobile communication systems in close collaboration with industry, academia, and regulators for over two decades. She has published 180+ scientific papers and prepared 160+ contributions to regulatory bodies.
A graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique and the Ecole nationale supérieure des télécommunications, with a DEA (Advanced studies degree) in industrial economics from Université Paris Dauphine, Franck Tarrier began his career in 2002 as Deputy head of the office of Communications networks and technologies in the Ministry of Culture’s Media development department.
In 2006, he joined the National Research Agency (ANR) as a policy officer. In 2009 he became the head of the Directorate General for Competitiveness, Industry and Services’ (DGCIS) “Software” office. Between 2012 and 2016, he served as the Deputy regional director and head of the “Enterprise, employment and economics” division of the Ile-de-France Regional Directorate of Enterprise, Competition, Consumer Affairs, Labour and Employment (Direccte).
Then in 2017 he joined the Directorate General for Enterprise (DGE) as the Deputy Director of “Transport equipment, mechanics and energy”.
His appointment to the position of Director of Arcep’s “Mobile and Innovation” department took effect on 1 December 2021.
Mikko Uusitalo is Head of Research Department Radio Systems Research Finland at Nokia Bell Labs. Mikko is leading the European 6G Flagship projects Hexa-X and Hexa-X-II. He obtained a M.Sc. (Eng.) and Dr.Tech. in 1993 and 1997 and a B.Sc. (Economics) in 2003, all from predecessors of Aalto University. Mikko has been at Nokia since 2000 with various roles, including Principal Researcher and Head of International Cooperation at Nokia Research. Mikko is a founding member of the CELTIC EUREKA and WWRF, the latter one he chaired for 2004-2006. Mikko is a WWRF Fellow.
Dr Jolly Wong is a technology consultant, strategic adviser and independent non-executive member to boards on innovation framework, cybersecurity, mission-critical communications, AI, digital transformation, and smart data analytics.
He served as the Assistant Commissioner for Police (Acting) and Chief Technology Officer of the Hong Kong Police Force. Jolly is an Honorary Adviser of the Communications Association of Hong Kong and an independent technology consultant on the Private 5G use cases for the Airport Authority Hong Kong, now advising Hongkong Electric and ATAL Engineering Group on strategic technology businesses.
He is a Policy Fellow for the Center of Science and Policy at University of Cambridge and a Visiting Professor for the Shanghai University (Institute of Smart City), and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (School of Telecommunications Management). Jolly is currently attaching to the Macao University of Science and Technology as a Guest Professor advising on the Outcomes-based accreditation process and responsible use of AI in education and ethical governance.
Jolly is also a columnist with The Standard writing commentaries on technology innovations and business synergies: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/column-list/
Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
David Willis has been appointed Group Director, Spectrum, bringing 30 years of technology and telecom experience in government and industry to the role. David joins Ofcom’s Senior Management Team.
He joined Ofcom to oversee its Spectrum Group, which ensures that the UK’s wireless spectrum – a valuable, finite national resource – is used efficiently and effectively.
Most recently David was President of the Communications Research Centre, the Government of Canada’s research centre for advanced wireless telecommunications, spectrum management and helping to improve broadband services for Canadians.
Before this David led the Spectrum Engineering and Planning team at Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada. Here his work included international spectrum standards; wireless spectrum engineering and planning; satellite spectrum policy, licensing and coordination; and leading the Canadian delegation at the 2019 World Radio Communication Conference.
David has also held leadership roles in product management, operations and engineering at BlackBerry and Nortel Networks.
Philip Marnick is the General Director of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). He was appointed early January 2022 by the Members of the Board, to assume the position, paving the way for a more effective regulatory framework by continuing the evolution of the telecom sector liberalization.
Mr Marnick leads the TRA, including the development of consumer protection initiatives and resolving disputes. The TRA develops regulatory rules that promote competition, innovation, and investment in broadband services and facilities, as well as developing a more comprehensive and competitive framework that aligns with international best practices. Ensuring that Bahrain remains a center of innovation and that its telecommunications sector serves everyone while supporting Bahrain’s strategic objectives.
Before assuming his role at the TRA, Mr Marnick managed and directed at Ofcom in the UK, where he was the Group Director of Spectrum responsible for all aspects of UK national and international spectrum management – from strategy to delivery including awards, clearance and enforcement. Mr Marnick has worked in the telecommunications sector for over 30 years. He has served as a senior executive in technology, operations, and strategy. Mr Marnick has worked in both start-ups (from inception to sale) and major corporations, in firms such as UK Broadband, O2, Orange, BT, J-Phone in Japan (now Softbank Mobile), Extreme Mobile, and SpinVox (now Nuance).
From analogue to 5G, he has engaged across every mobile generation. Throughout his carrier he has been at the forefront of industry developments – in both fixed and mobile. He has collaborated on the first deployments of mobile networks utilizing new technologies and standards, this has also included innovative products such as the first camera phone and photo messaging service, as well as mobile internet and hosted voice services.
Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is an officer of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers from the 1984 batch. He had superannuated as Chairman & CEO, Railway Board on 31st August 2023 after a career spanning about 37 years Indian Railway. He is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior, with gold medal and has master’s degree in engineering (Structures) from IIT Roorkee. He has worked in various positions in the Central, Northern, North Central, Western, and West Central Railway, as well as in the Railway Board.
Besides Chairman & CEO, Railway Board, some of the important positions held by Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti include Member Infrastructure, Railway Board, General Manager of Central Railway and Western Railway, Divisional Railway Manager, Lucknow, Northern Railway, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Northern Railway and Executive Director, Railway Board. Post his retirement, Ministry of Railway had appointed him to a One-Man Expert Committee for improvement in inspection and maintenance of track. In December 2023, Gati Shakti Vishvavidyalaya, Vadodara, a Central University appointed him as a Distinguished Visiting Professor.
His expertise includes railway operations, track maintenance, project execution and station redevelopment. During his illustrious career, Shri Lahoti initiated several reforms in execution of infrastructure projects and took several initiatives to modernize and mechanize track maintenance on Indian Railways. During his stints as CRB & CEO, GM and DRM, he brought about significant improvement in freight transport performance and took several customer friendly initiatives to improve the quality of service and ease the customer interface. He has also extensively contributed to planning and structuring of station redevelopment projects in various positions served by him.
Shri Lahoti has travelled to various countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia in connection with official assignments. He has undertaken executive training programmes at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA, SDA Bocconi Business School, Milan, Italy and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Erzsébet Fitori has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking in October 2023.
Previously, she was responsible for Vodafone Group’s engagement with the EU institutions and stakeholders, heading Vodafone’s Brussels office and as Board Director in industry organisations. Before joining Vodafone in 2020, Erzsébet was Director General of the FTTH Council Europe, the pan-European trade association representing over 160 technology innovators, network operators, and investors across the fiber value chain. As chief executive, she focused on transforming it into a growing organisation, increasing its membership base, revenues, and engagement with key decision-makers.
She joined the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), where she represented 100+ challenger telecom operators. As Director of ECTA, she oversaw its public policy, regulatory, and PR activities and led ECTA’s engagement with the EU institutions, national regulators, and governments. Before joining ECTA, she was Head of Regulatory Affairs at Telenor Hungary in Budapest. In her early career, Erzsébet was an assistant professor in the department of European law and private international law at the University of Miskolc, Hungary.
Charles Cooper is Associate Administrator in NTIA’s Office of Spectrum Management. He leads the agency’s work on national and international spectrum policy issues, and oversees spectrum management efforts for federal agencies. He is responsible for frequency assignment and certification, and other strategic planning functions including development of innovation approaches to spectrum sharing.
Before joining NTIA in July, 2019, Cooper was the Enforcement Bureau Field Director at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) where he managed the nationwide enforcement of spectrum interference affecting public safety communications, FCC licensees and Federal agencies. Prior to serving as Field Director, Cooper was District Director of the FCC’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Cooper also served as senior engineer and partner with du Treil, Lundin, and Rackley, Inc., an engineering firm specializing in radio frequency coordination and design. Cooper is a recognized subject matter expert on engineering principles applicable to a wide mix of communications technologies. He is a member and two-term past president of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE).
Work on laying the groundwork for 6G is continuing at pace. The last 12 months has seen the emergence of a number of 6G ‘visions’ at both regional and national levels, and also globally through ITU’s IMT-2030 framework. As we move closer to a 6G reality, this session will look at some of these frameworks and visions that have been put forward in different regions around the world, and how these are set to shape the reality of 6G. explore whether a consensus is emerging when it comes to the shape of the 6G future and at the different elements, drivers and use-cases that will be a part of this.
• What progress has been made on developing the 6G vision and roadmap?
• Is it becoming clear what we trying to achieve with 6G? What is the difference between this and 5G / 5G Advanced?
• What different plans for 6G are emerging around the world and what different elements are being discussed (network performance, customer experience, reliability, sustainability etc.)?
• What similarities are being seen in these emerging visions and where are there differences? Is a consensus emerging?
• What are the key drivers of 6G from both a societal and government standpoint?
• What role will emerging new technologies such as AI and quantum computing play in shaping the 6G ecosystem? What visions for the integration of 6G with these and other enabling technologies are already emerging around the world?
• What needs to be done to overcome some of the perceived scepticism around 6G (possibly based on key objectives of 5G not yet being hit?)
• What regulatory frameworks are needed to facilitate global 6G adoption while considering evolving technologies and diverse national interests?
• How can we foster a culture of innovation and collaboration among academia, industry, and government to drive 6G research and development?
Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
Matthew Baker is a Nokia Bell Labs Fellow and leads a RAN standardization team at Nokia. Prior to starting to address 6G, he has contributed to the standardization of 3G, 4G, 5G and 5G-Advanced in 3GPP, where he held the posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 between 2009 and 2017. He holds degrees in Engineering and Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, UK. He is co-editor of the book “LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: From Theory to Practice”, has authored many papers and holds several hundred patents in the field of mobile communications.
Janette is one of Analysys Mason’s senior spectrum experts, with 25 years’ experience in radio engineering, wireless technologies, spectrum policy and spectrum management. Janette joined Analysys Mason in 2001, having previously worked for the UK Radiocommunications Agency (now Ofcom).
Janette’s expertise lies in mobile, wireless and broadband technologies and markets and her consulting experience includes advising on market developments in the wireless sector, wireless technology evolution, wireless business modelling, spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, competition and regulation issues in the wireless market. She has worked with a wide range of public- and private-sector clients including national regulators, government departments, network operators, wireless industry trade associations, equipment vendors and telecoms users.
Her recent focus has been on 5G mobile and she has authored several published reports, including a study for Qualcomm and Ericsson on costs and benefits of 5G deployment in Europe, a study on 5G millimetre-wave deployment in Europe, reports for US industry body CTIA comparing 5G readiness in several world markets and a study on the benefits of cellular V2X technology for the 5GAA. Janette holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering from the University of Edinburgh, and an MSc in Radio Communications from the University of Bradford.
Professor Konstantinos Masselos has been appointed as the President of the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) in February 2018. He has been elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for 2019.
In 2006 he joined University of Peloponnese, where he is currently a Professor in Computing Systems Design in the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications. Konstantinos served as Rector of the above university the period 2012-2017. During the period 2005 to 2008, he was Lecturer in digital systems at the Imperial College London. Also from 2010 to 2016 he served as Honorary Lecturer in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, at the Imperial College London. From 2001 to 2004 he joined Intracom Telecom SA in Greece.
Konstantinos has been involved in several research and development projects and has consulting experience in industry and public organizations. Since 2005 he has been regularly involved as an expert in different European Commission units. Additionally, Konstantinos was member of the Scientific Committee of European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) organization from 2015 to 2017. He has authored more than 120 papers in international journals and conferences.
Ms. Nakata has entered Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) Japan in 2011.
She has been engaged in many Telecom/ICT policy fields, from International Cooperation in Asian countries to data exchange market. In recent years, she devoted herself in policy making and enforcement of mobile tariffs regulations, promoting competition and consumer protection in Japan. She was also in Personal Information Protection Commission, negotiating with European Commission on Adequacy Decision for GDPR as well as with OECD on Government Access discussion, enhancing Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT). Currently, she is based in Brussels, as a MIC representative and as a Director of Brussels Representative Office for Foundation for MultiMedia Communications (FMMC).
She has LL.M. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and MPA (Master of Public Administration) from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
Dimitra Simeonidou is a Full Professor at the University of Bristol, the Co-Director of the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and the Director of Smart Internet Lab. Her research is focusing on the fields of high-performance networks, programmable networks, Future Internet, wireless-optical convergence, 5G/6G and smart city infrastructures. In the past few years, she is increasingly working with Social Sciences and Humanities on topics of climate change and digital transformation for society and businesses. Dimitra has been the Technical Architect and the CTO of the smart city project Bristol Is Open. She is currently leading the Bristol City/Region 5G and Open RAN pilots.
Dimitra is a member of the DSIT Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council, a founding member of UKTIN and has led major research projects funded by UKRI and the EC. She is currently coordinating the DSIT REASON project developing blueprint architectures and technologies for 6G.
She is the author and co-author of over 700 publications, numerous patents and several contributions to standards. She has been co-founder of three spin-out companies developing solutions for connected smart infrastructures.
Dimitra is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), a Fellow of the IEEE (FIEEE), Fellow of WWRF, a Royal Society Wolfson Scholar and member of UKCRC
Peng serves as the Vice-President of Policy & Regulatory at GSOA, where he spearheads advocacy efforts in critical policy and regulatory domains, including spectrum management, market access, and national policy initiatives. With a rich background in the telecommunications sector and expertise across mobile and satellite industries, he’s been advising governments and telecom industry globally.
Before joining GSOA, Peng played a pivotal role at Eutelsat OneWeb in shaping international regulatory and policy frameworks, focusing on delivering satellite licensing structures to accommodate Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, and tailoring satellite regulatory procedure during WRC-23. Prior to this, at GSMA, Peng was responsible for the global campaign aimed at optimizing spectrum licensing conditions for mobile operators worldwide. He led a diverse team of policy experts across developing markets, engaging policymakers and regulators to advocate for industry best practices in telecom policy.
Peng holds a Master’s degree in Telecommunication from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne, complemented by an Executive MBA from the London Business School. Peng is fluent in English, Mandarin, and French.
Matthew Baker is a Nokia Bell Labs Fellow and leads a RAN standardization team at Nokia. Prior to starting to address 6G, he has contributed to the standardization of 3G, 4G, 5G and 5G-Advanced in 3GPP, where he held the posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 between 2009 and 2017. He holds degrees in Engineering and Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge, UK. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, UK. He is co-editor of the book “LTE – The UMTS Long Term Evolution: From Theory to Practice”, has authored many papers and holds several hundred patents in the field of mobile communications.
6G envisions a world where wireless connectivity is not just ubiquitous, but also intelligent, immersive, and ultra-reliable. To translate these ambitious visions into reality, the next step now requires a rigorous standardization process, which will involve international collaboration among standard-setting bodies, industry players, research institutions and policymakers. This session will look at the work that has already begun in defining and setting these standards and in developing international collaborations that is vital in order to minimize geopolitical tensions that could lead to the emergence competing standards and technologies. With 6G expected to not just be about faster data speeds but also about fundamentally reimagining how we interact with the world around us, it will look at how standards can help to keep this human element central to 6G development, as well as other key elements such as sustainability and privacy/security. Ultimately, it will look at the best way forward to ensure the delivery of a single global standard that will ensure consistency and economy of scale in 6G rollout and enable its benefits to be felt across societies everywhere.
• How will 6G standards differ from 5G? What lessons can be learnt from the 5G standardisation processes and how can these be taken forward as focus switches to 6G?
• What needs to be done to overcome key geopolitical and technical obstacles in order to deliver global interoperability in 6G standardization? What work in this area has already begun?
• What role should governments and other stakeholders play in shaping 6G standards and ensuring equitable access? How can they foster collaboration between industry stakeholders and the research community?
• How can we ensure that 6G standardization addresses the needs of developing countries and bridges the digital divide?
• What are the key technical features and capabilities that should be prioritized in 6G standards?
• To what extent is shared spectrum going to play a part in delivering the 6G connectivity ecosystem? How does this element and the requirement to potentially work around existing incumbent services in bands need to be considered when developing standards?
• Is 6G the last ‘G’? What will come next? Do we need the standardisation world to continue evolving in the same way?
Prior to joining GSA, Adrian Scrase worked within the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) from 1992, serving as Chief Technical Officer from 2003. He played an active role in the creation of 3GPP and was responsible for operational support to that project from 1999 until 2023. He has extensive experience in the operation and management of international standardisation activities and in the setting of strategies that ensure the success of those activities. Before joining ETSI, he worked within the UK Government on Radio Regulation and International Standardization matters. Adrian is a Visiting Professor at Surrey University, UK, and a Fellow of the Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF).
David is currently the ETSI Director of New Technologies (NET), which involves tracking the latest ICT technology and business trends and all relevant research initiatives in order to identify appropriate technology standards needs and future opportunities for ETSI.
In addition, he works on outreach initiatives towards the research and academic communities, both in Europe and globally, as well as engaging with key European research programs such as Horizon Europe.
David has more than 30 years’ experience in the telecommunications sector, which includes over 20 years’ working in ICT standardization supporting both 3GPP and ETSI Technical and strategic groups.
Mr. Takehiro Nakamura is now Chief Standardization Officer in NTT DOCOMO, Inc. Mr. Nakamura has been engaged in R&D and the standardization activities for advanced radio and network technologies of W-CDMA, HSPA, LTE/LTE-Advanced, 5G and 6G, and engaged in strengthening inter-industry collaboration. He has been contributing to standardization activities in ARIB, ITU and 3GPP since 1997, including as vice chair and chair of 3GPP TSG-RAN from 2005 to 2013.
Currently, he plays important roles to promote and accelerate 5G and 6G in Japan and globally as the Acting Chairman of Strategy & Planning Committee and the leader of Millimeter wave Promotion Ad Hoc of 5G Mobile Communications Promotion Forum(5GMF), the leader of Cellular System Task Group of ITS Info-communications Forum, the leader of White Paper Subcommittee in Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium in Japan and the Board member of 5G-ACIA.
Angeliki Alexiou is a professor of Broadband Communications Systems at the department of Digital Systems, ICT School, University of Piraeus, Greece. She received the Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens in 1994 and the PhD in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London in 2000.
Since May 2009 she has been a faculty member at the Department of Digital Systems, where she conducts research and teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Broadband Communications and Advanced Wireless Technologies. Prior to this appointment she was with Bell Laboratories, Wireless Research, Lucent Technologies, (later Alcatel-Lucent, now NOKIA), in Swindon, UK, (January 1999 – April 2009).
Professor Alexiou is a co-recipient of Bell Labs President’s Gold Award in 2002 for contributions to Bell Labs Layered Space-Time (BLAST) project and the Central Bell Labs Teamwork Award in 2004 for role model teamwork and technical achievements in the IST FITNESS project. Professor Alexiou is the Chair of the Working Group on Radio Communication Technologies and of the Working Group on High Frequencies Radio Technologies of the Wireless World Research Forum. Her current research interests include radio interface for 6G systems, MIMO, THz wireless communication technologies, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces, Joint Communications and Sensing Machine Learning for wireless systems. She is the project coordinator of the (H2020) TERRANOVA project and the technical manager of (H2020) ARIADNE project and (SNS JU) INSTINCT project.
Ulrich heads the external standardization engagement for Nokia. He is responsible for global and regional standardization including radio spectrum aspects. Ulrich is a Vice President and Executive Committee member of the Global Mobile Supplier Association (GSA). He also serves in the Board of the Metaverse Standards Forum. Between 2022 and 2024, he served as a board member to the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network Global Forum (IOWN-GF). From 2018 to 2022 he was also Board Member of the 5G Association for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA).
Prior to his current role Ulrich was responsible for Nokia Networks Industry Environment activities. Between 2007 and 2012 Ulrich lead the NSN 3GPP standardization team and has served as Head
of Delegation to 3GPP.
Between 1996 and 2007, Ulrich held various positions in R&D of Siemens Mobile Networks unit. He was responsible for standardization activities of the core network business unit and managed Siemens 3GPP activities. Ulrich had instrumental role in the definition of the UMTS architecture as well as in set up of project management in 3GPP.
Ulrich holds a Ph.D. from Télécom ParisTech from 1996; his research area was the definition of 3G Radio Interface and his research was part of EU collaborative research program (RACE II ATDMA). He holds a Master Degree (Dipl-Ing) in Telecommunication from the RWTH, Aachen from 1992.
The world in 2030 will undoubtably look very different to that of today. 6G alongside other emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing are evolving at a fantastic pace and are set to fundamentally change the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. They will not only revolutionise existing industries but also create entirely new ones, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. However, navigating this transformative journey requires responsible development, ethical considerations, and a focus on human-centred innovation. This session will explore the expected evolution of 6G alongside other emerging and enabling technologies and network architectures. It will explore some of the some of the innovative applications that could emerge, including immersive telepresence, hyper-connected cities, real-time remote surgery and next-generation robotics; and if we are indeed on the brink of a new digital revolution, explore the challenges and opportunities that this may bring.
• As 6G and other technologies develop, how can we develop governance and regulatory frameworks that ensure that the transformational potential of these technologies is delivered around the world in a responsible and ethical way?
• What transformative potential is offered across different vertical industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, smart cities, and autonomous vehicles? Are we on the brink of a new digital revolution?
• How can vertical industries get involved in the early stages of technology development in order to help shape a future connectivity ecosystem that enables them to maximise the benefits that are on offer?
• How can we develop governance and regulatory frameworks that foster innovation while addressing concerns around security, privacy, sustainability? How can it be ensured that technologies evolve in a responsible way and that ethical considerations are embedded throughout?
• What emerging use cases and innovative applications enabled by 6G are likely to have the greatest impact?
• How can vertical industries get involved in the early stages of technology development in order to help shape a future connectivity ecosystem that enables them to maximise the benefits that are on offer? How important is collaboration in order to ensure that the full potential of 6G is harnessed across different vertical sectors, and what role do different stakeholders need to play in delivering this?
Katrin Sjöberg is employed as a technical adviser at Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) in Sweden, entailing involvement in research to final product with focus on frequency spectrum, standardization, and regulation related to wireless connectivity for Volvo products. Since 2009, she has been active in ETSI standardization on intelligent transport system (ITS), where she currently leads the standardization work as chair of ETSI TC ITS WG4 and TC ERM TG37. In addition, she is active in the trade association for European automotive manufacturers ACEA and represents ACEA’s interests in the EC EG-RE (Expert Group on Radio Equipment) and in CEPT. Katrin holds a PhD from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Joe Butler is a highly respected and well recognised technology leader with a career that has ranged from startups and scaleups to some of the UK’s largest technology and infrastructure projects at the heart of government. His previous roles include Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the radio spectrum and Director of AI and Machine Learning at Ofcom, and Director of Telecoms and Chief Scientific Advisor at DCMS.
At Ofcom, prior to leading on AI and machine learning policy and regulation, Joe worked on delivering multi-billion spectrum auctions for 4G and 5G. He was one of the authors of the National Infrastructure Commission report on 5G and the future of mobile communications, and spent his early career in developer and R&D roles at artificial intelligence startups and scaleups, as well as helping to develop a state of the art physics visual fx system used in multiple blockbuster films.
Joe now brings this wealth of experience to Digital Catapult in the role of Chief Technology Officer.
Dr. Wen Tong is the CTO, Huawei Wireless and a Huawei Fellow. He is the Head of Huawei Wireless Research, and the Huawei 5G Chief Scientist and led Huawei’s 10-year-long 5G wireless technologies research and development. Dr. Tong is the industry recognised leader in invention of advanced wireless technologies, Dr. Tong was elected as a Huawei Fellow and an IEEE Fellow. He was the recipient of IEEE Communications Society Industry Innovation Award in 2014, and IEEE Communications Society Distinguished Industry Leader Award for “pioneering technical contributions and leadership in the mobile communications industry and innovation in 5G mobile communications technology” in 2018. He is also the recipient of R.A. Fessenden Medal. For the past three decades, he had pioneered fundamental technologies from 1G to 6G wireless. Prior to joining Huawei in 2009, Dr. Tong was the Nortel Fellow and head of the Network Technology Labs at Nortel. He joined the Wireless Technology Labs at Bell Northern Research in 1995 in Canada. Dr. Tong is a Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, and he serves as Board of Director of Wi-Fi Alliance.
Whilst it is difficult to put an accurate figure on the costs associated with 6G rollout, best estimates suggest that globally, it will likely be in the range of tens of trillions of dollars. This is significantly higher than the cost of previous cellular technology rollouts, reflecting the complexity and ambitious goals of 6G. This session will look at the different options and potential funding sources that are available to deliver this required investment, and the approaches and funding models that are starting to emerge in different regions around the world. It will discuss the commercial opportunities that will be enabled by 6G, and the way in which stakeholders can work together to develop an environment that enables these to be realised. With mobile operators having invested billions of dollars in 5G and arguably yet to see any major impact on sales, it will look at the lessons that can be taken from this and at what needs to be done by both the private and public sectors to ensure a more sustainable investment model and ultimately to secure the required funding to deliver on the 6G vision around the world.
• What are the estimated costs of developing and deploying 6G networks globally and how does this compare to previous generations? What are the expected economic and social returns on investment and how can we create a compelling business case for potential financiers?
• How can collaboration between different stakeholders, like mobile operators, technology companies, and research institutions, help mitigate financial risks and foster innovation?
• What needs to be done in order to secure the necessary funding and investment and what sources could this come from?
• What lessons can we learn from past successes and failures in financing previous generations of mobile networks, both from the private and public sectors?
• With mobile operators having invested billions of dollars in 5G and arguably yet to see any major impact on sales, how can a more sustainable investment model be developed for 6G?
• How many networks will a country need in a 6G era? With MNOs under intense pressure to invest more in networks even though revenues have been flat, should regulators still be promoting 3-4 wholesale operators, or consider championing a smaller number?
• How can technology providers ensure that they are building flexible and resilient solutions and long lasting and sustainable business models?
• Given the current economic climate, are there specific challenges to securing investment for 6G compared to past advancements?
• To what extent will there be a need for Government funding, particularly in rural areas and to ensure the ubiquitous nature of 6G? If this is the case then what is the best way to deploy subsidies to support efficient rollout of new networks and ensure cost-effective access?
• What potential exists for alternative funding models, like public-private partnerships or crowd-sourcing?
Marc Eschenburg is a Partner at Aetha Consulting, a specialist telecommunications strategy consultancy which advises players in the industry on major strategic and regulatory decisions.
For the last years, Marc has been very active in the area of spectrum management, advising operators and regulators on issues such as spectrum valuation, spectrum strategy, auction support and spectrum pricing. His particular area of expertise lies in overseeing the development of spectrum valuation models ahead of auctions and he has supported spectrum managers and bidders in preparations for over 30 award processes across the world.
Robert Mourik joined ComReg as Commissioner in 2019. From 7 January 2022 he became Chairperson.
Robert has almost thirty years experience in the telecoms sector, as an industry executive and as Government official. Prior to joining ComReg, he worked for Cubic Telecom, a new entrant in the automotive IoT space, where he was responsible for all wholesale activities. Robert spent almost 10 years in Telefonica as the European Regulatory Strategy Director at their corporate HQ in Madrid and as Strategy Director in Ireland. He also worked for Vodafone Group, as its head of the Brussels Office and in the regulatory department in Newbury, UK. In 1991, Robert began his career in the Dutch Department for Transport and Telecommunication and from 1994 until 1999 he served, as Telecom Attaché at the Netherlands’ Permanent Representation in Brussels. He was a Member and Chair of the Council Telecoms Working Group in 1998 when the first telecom regulatory package was adopted. Robert was born in the Netherlands and studied Economics and Public Policy at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and the University of Hull (UK).
