A Vision for NextG Networks andSystems: a view from the National
Science Foundation
Dr. Thyaga Nandagopal
Senior Advisor
Office of the Director

National Science Foundation
March 11, 2022

11987
CircuitvoiceMobile
Telephony

1979
AnalogvoiceMobile
Telephony

1G
March 11, 2022

2G

1998
Circuitvoice +
packetdata
Blackberry

2008
packetvoice +
data
Smartpho
nes

4G

2018
Data
Killer
App?

5G

NextG

The G’s2028?
Data?
KillerApp?

3G

2

NSF-funded research enabling today’s 5G
networks:• Three-tier CBRS spectrum sharing

Advancingwirelessresearch:
the role of NSF(past)March 11, 2022•(CNS-0831791 & CNS-0831762)• Use of Millimeter-wave spectrum for 5G•(IIP-0933985, CNS-1320472 & ECCS-1555332)• 5G Network Architecture (CNS-1317153)• Massive MIMO Advances•(CNS-1012921 & CNS-1405937)• Software-defined networks (CNS-0832820)• Building out NSFNET, Internet2, and enablingcompanies like Qualcomm and Google.
• … among others!
3• $100M annually and increasing, on average• https://www.nsf.gov/cise/advancedwireless/

Advancingwirelessresearch:
the role of NSF(present)
March 11, 2022

• Foundational R&D• Core research, Cross-Programs• One-to-one Partnerships (e.g., DARPA, Intel, VMware)• Multi-sector partnerships• Testing infrastructure• Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research(https://beyond5g.org)• International Partnerships• Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Japan, S. Korea• Center-Scale Activities• 3 Centers with $20M+ investments

4Advancing
wirelessresearch:

The views expressed here are solely my own, and do not represent theviews of the National Science Foundation, and should not be construed
as such.

What comes
after 5G?
March 11, 2022

5

NextGis muchmore than 6G

March 11, 2022Not just cellular, not just wireless,not a single set of standards

6

NextG is about:• Convergence• Wired and wireless, communications and sensing, het nets (6G, satellite, WiFi), compute andcomms (mobile edge computing), software-driven communication systems• Spectrum sharing• Repurpose bands for optimal use, better sharing with trust• Resilience• Reliability, Adaptability and Security• Ultra-low latency• Enabling new novel applications• Wider broadband reach• low-cost backhaul, lowering cost of access, rural broadband• Intelligence
March 11, 20227

Urban, denseconnections

LEO/MEO/GEO
Satellites, Cellular,WiFi, LoRA/NB-IoT

Convergence
Software-driven
Autonomous
Actuation-focusedMarch 11, 2022

High-speed, low-latency
networks, Cloud Computing

Rural, satellite/cellular integration,
diverse backhaul, Mobile Edge computing, remote sensing
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MobileBroadband

Wide-area
Coverage

5G/Cellular

Connectivity
FabricNo morewires

WiFi

Radar/
ActiveSensingNaturalPhenomena
Monitoring/
Passive
Sensing

Sensing

PowerTransfer

Land/Water/S
pace

Other Uses

Spectrum (RF/non-RF)(300 MHz - 6 GHz, 6 -15 GHz, > 20 GHz)
March 11, 20229

March 11, 2022

Applications: Augmented Reality andothers that merge physical/virtual

Autonomy

End-to-End Security

Resilience

Adaptability

Resilient NextG Systems
Algorithms: Spectrum sharing, Resource
optimization and management
Device-to-Edge-to-Cloud
Hardware: RF and Mixed Signal Circuits,
Antennas and Components
10• Human perception of latency: > 20 ms• End-to-end communication latency today isimpacted by many factors beyond speed-of-light

Ultra-Reliable
Low-LatencyCommunications

March 11, 2022

• Application to network latency• Medium access latency• Content scanning/Deep Packet Inspection• Packet copying• Routing lookups• Photon  electron translation latencies• URLLC: < 20 ms round trip time
• Need guaranteed delay bounds (or with highprobability)• Jitter bounds are essential• Not for human-human alone, but human-machine
and machine-machine as well11

Near Term
• Software-defined networking(SDN) ecosystems• AI/ML for networking, spectrum
sensing and access• Enabling 6G and beyond
systems (massive MIMO,mmWave)• Mobile Edge computing• Advanced wireless sensing, joint
sensing/communication• Free-space optical networks• Large-scale MIMO• Advanced duplexing• Wireless measurements• Long-distance high-BW links

March 11, 2022

Mid-term• Fully programmable protocolstacks• Ultra-low latency wireless links• Ubiquitous wireless access• Extremely low-power designs• Zero-trust networking• Meta-materials and intelligent
surfaces• “Security-by-design” andresilience• On-demand spectrum sharing
and access• Widely tunable front ends.
• Energy efficient waveforms• Intra-satellite communications• Low-cost hybrid
backhaul/fronthaulLong-term• Quantum networks• THz networking (new radioapproaches)• “Self-driving” networks• Repeatable and verifiableresearch• Holographic calls• Tactile Internet• Flying networks

Exampletopics ofinterest
12• Step away from the 5G roadmap• NextG is going to be radically different• Not just the way 2G was different from 1G, and4G was different from 3G• Faster, Denser and Quicker – yes.
• Convergent and unique as wellGetting readyfor NextG• Remember: what is now 5G started researcharound 2007 – 2009
Conclusion:• Start work on these problems now• Standards or product roadmaps happenmuch later• Think broaderMarch 11, 2022

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