SK Telecom outlines mid- to long-term 6G network evolution

South Korean network operator SK Telecom (SKT) has published a whitepaper in preparation for the commercialisation of 6G, which it expects after 2030, emphasising the direction of communications infrastructure in the artificial intelligence (AI) era.

The Athena paper – representing AI, Trust, Hyper-connectivity, Experience, opeN, Agility – presents SKT’s mid- to long-term network evolution strategy to accelerate AI convergence, expand services such as humanoid robots and satellite communications, address advanced security threats, and shift network operation paradigms.

It is a continuation of SKT’s ongoing 6G whitepaper series, which in 2023 introduced key requirements and technology trends for 6G standardisation, and in 2024, it first stressed the potential effect of AI in the industry.

The goal is to enhance operational efficiency, innovate customer experience and achieve network monetisation in a rapidly changing communications environment. SKT believes AI technology is expected to evolve along two main directions: AI for network, which enables real-time data analysis and AI-based decision-making for self-optimising networks; and network for AI, which focuses on optimising networks to efficiently support AI services.

Athena details structures for the radio access network (RAN), core network, transport network and network data platform and also includes gradually applying AI- and cloud-based intelligence and automation across all network domains.

This will see the radio access network evolve into a structure capable of AI-based autonomous optimisation through virtualisation and open interfaces. The core and transport networks are expected to advance towards enhanced automation and efficient control using AI in a cloud-native environment. The network data platform will expand its role as a key platform for creating AI-based services and customer value using network data.

The operator added it has established AI-native, ubiquitous, open and cloud-native as one of its key pillars, and aims to maximise customer experience that prioritises fault prevention, security and quality in response to diverse devices and new service environments.

SKT expects the security paradigm to be strengthened under a zero-trust principle, and the infrastructure will evolve into a converged platform not tied to specific mobile generations or satellite communications. The paper also outlines the expansion of virtualisation in networks for flexible resource utilisation and a vision to prioritise customer needs to enhance customer experience.

Going forward, SK Telecom said it is preparing mid- to long-term networks on four pillars – AI, cloud, security and open networks – to innovate operational efficiency and customer experience through intelligence and automation of radio access networks, core networks, transport networks and data platforms.

The company added that it will look to navigate 6G uncertainties with customer value at the centre, creating what it said was “pioneering telecommunications infrastructure”.

In line with these efforts, SKT is actively participating in major international standardisation organisations such as 3GPP, ITU and O-RAN Alliance to ensure that its future network vision and mid- to long-term architecture are effectively reflected in global standards. The company is also conducting advanced research and development in core 6G technologies, such as AI-RAN and autonomous networks.