Capgemini explained that the new lab will build advanced test beds and simulators to explore use cases

French IT services firm Capgemini has announced the launch of a 6G research lab in Gurugram, India.

In a release, the company explained that the new lab will build advanced test beds and simulators to explore use cases for next generation wireless networks, 6G ideation and the creation of energy saving solutions.

“The 6G lab will enable us to prototype, simulate and test solutions, leveraging next-generation connectivity and silicon technologies along with advanced AI to address the wireless communication challenges presented by 6G,” said Shamik Mishra, chief technology and innovation officer at Capgemini. “We will also contribute to harmonizing efforts for 6G technology across the industry. An ecosystem for collaboration and knowledge sharing among enterprises and academia will be key to realize numerous opportunities and applications for the future.”

Capgemini also noted that the new facility will use high-performance compute infrastructure to construct advanced simulation environments to develop and verify novel network frameworks that meet the demands of future 6G systems.

The lab will also create comprehensive simulations to analyze the performance of emerging 6G capabilities. This will include mesh networks, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) and non-terrestrial networks designed specifically for 6G.

Capgemini’s lab will also utilize advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to solve wireless communication challenges presented by 6G, which has yet to be standardized and is in the early research and development phase.

In May 2022, Capgemini had announced a joint research project with King’s College London to explore the possibilities opened up by future 6G technology, focusing on developing new architecture frameworks to enable ultra-large coverage, AI native and sustainable 6G networks.

Earlier this year, the government of India unveiled a national “6G” project with the aim of launching this technology by 2030.

The main aim of the 6G initiative is to identify and fund research and deployment of the next-generation technology in the country, according to a vision document unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the document, the government has appointed a council to oversee the project and focus on issues such as standardization, identification of suitable spectrum for 6G, create an ecosystem for devices and systems, among other things.

Another key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet, artificial intelligence for connected intelligence, new encoding methods and waveforms chipsets for 6G devices, according to the vision document unveiled by the government.

India’s 6G project is proposed to be implemented in two phases: The first one from 2023 to 2025, and the second one from 2025 to 2030. In the initial phase of the 6G initiative, support will be provided to explorative ideas, “risky pathways” and proof-of-concept tests. Ideas and concepts that show promise and potential for acceptance by the global peer community will be adequately supported to develop them to completion, establish their use cases and benefits, and create testbeds leading to commercialization as part of phase two.

6G systems are expected to be commercially launched by 2030, while the first phase of standardization will likely start from 2025, leading to the first 6G specification in 3GPP Release 21 by 2028.