Abstract

Mobile communication research is increasingly addressing the use of 5G in verticals, which has led to the emergence of local and often private 5G networks. At the same time, research on 6G has started, with a bold goal of building a strong linkage between 6G and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Both of these developments call for a highly multi-disciplinary approach covering the inter-related perspectives of business, regulation and technology. This paper summarizes recent advances in using 5G to serve vertical sectors’ needs and describes a path towards sustainable 6G considering business, regulation and technology viewpoints. By focusing on key trends, the research summarizes four alternative scenarios for the futures business of 6G and considers related regulatory and technology aspects. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the complex relations of business, regulation and technology perspectives and the role of ecosystems in both 5G in verticals and ultimately in the development of sustainable 6G to bring together stakeholders to solve long-term sustainability problems.