ETSI ISG F5G has brought together industry, academia, and research experts to start shaping the vision for F6G: the next generation of fixed optical networks. The workshop included visions and priorities for F6G from different perspectives, use cases, scenarios, and business needs, research and technologies currently in development for F6G, key challenges on the path to F6G.

Figure: F6G energy efficiency is like Pandas: They only work when needed.

The following views have been presented:

• Prof. Roberto Gaudino, Politecnico di Torino: “Disruptive New Architectures Enabled by Coherent Transmission Merging Optical Access and Metro Networks”
• Dr. Raul Muñoz, CTTC: “Next-Generation Optical Networks for the AI Era: Enabling Intelligence and Sustainability”
• Prof. Wei Wang, BUPT: “F6G: Next Generation Fixed Networks Based on Space-Ground Integrated Optical Networking”
• Dr. Olivier Ferveur, POST Luxembourg: “F6G: The Panda Paradigm – Energy Efficiency in the Next Generation of Fiber”
• Mr. Yuyang Liu, China Telecom Research Institute: “High-Performance Optical Interconnect for AI Computing Centers”
• Mr. Yue Sun, China Unicom: “Exploration of Broadband Network Evolution in F6G”
• Dr. Ning Wang, China Mobile Research Institute: “Consideration on PON and FTTR Technologies for Next Generation Broadband Networks”
• Mr. Philippe Chanclou, Orange: “Orange View on F6G”

In summary the following aspects have been mention without completeness:

• Discussion of Coherent PON with benefits and challenges and the opportunity for better integrating access and metro networks.
• F6G as backhaul of 6G mobile networks and influence of changing traffic models due to more AI-based applications and services.
• Addition of optical space to ground networking and a variety of novel applications.
• Improved energy and carbon efficiency for F6G and provide load-adaptive networks.
• New optical technologies (e.g., CPO, all-optical networking) drive future networking and novel approach for F6G.
• The F6G network should be a unified system with different resources including communication, processing, and storage being available.
• From a technology perspective, it seems 200Gbps access is preferable, it should include P2MP and P2P technologies, quadruple technology coexistence should be available, and all-optical DC networking is suitable.
• Operation of F6G should be simplified and automated with security a primary objective for the development of the technology.
• In general, it has been mentioned that various F6G research activities are on their way in European Research projects or in a Chinese Whitepaper of F6G.
• It has been mentioned that ETSI ISG F5G should cooperate on the F6G definition with similar activities in other organizations like the ION-2030 activity in ITU-T SG15 .

Find the presentation of the F6G Workshop at the ETSI ISG Open Area.

The F6G workshop Website.