Disruptive 6G architecture: Software-centric, AI-driven, and digital market-based mobile networks

Mobile communications have followed a progression model detailed by the Gartner hype cycle, from a proof-of-concept to widespread productivity. As fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks are being deployed, their potential and constraints are becoming more evident. Although 5G boasts a flexible architecture, enhanced bandwidth, and data throughput, it still grapples with infrastructure challenges, security vulnerabilities, coverage issues, and limitations in fully enabling the Internet of Everything (IoE). As the world experiences exponential growth in Internet users and digitized devices, relying solely on evolutionary technologies seems inadequate. Recognizing this, global entities such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) are laying the groundwork for 5G Advanced, a precursor to 6G. This article argues against a mere evolutionary leap from 5G to 6G. We propose a radical shift towards a disruptive 6G architecture (D6G) that harnesses the power of smart contracts, decentralized Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digital twins. This novel design offers a software-centric, AI-driven, and digital market-based redefinition of mobile technologies. As a result of an integrated collaboration among researchers from the Brazil 6G Project, this work identifies and synthesizes fifty-one key emerging enablers for 6G, devising a unique and holistic integration framework. Emphasizing flexibility, D6G promotes a digital market environment, allowing seamless resource sharing and solving several of 5G’s current challenges. This article comprehensively explores these enablers, presenting a groundbreaking approach to 6G’s design and implementation and setting the foundation for a more adaptable, autonomous, digitally monitored, and AI-driven mobile communication landscape. Finally, we developed a queuing theory model to evaluate the D6G architecture. Results show that the worst-case delay for deploying a smart contract in a 6G domain was 23 s. Furthermore, under high transaction rates of ten transactions per minute, the delay for contracting a 6G slice was estimated at 53.7 s, demonstrating the architecture’s capability to handle high transaction volumes efficiently.