Techno-economic challenges

Abstract

Without business sustainability, no technological innovation or solution is feasible in the long-term. The business viability may come from complex free market forces, from government subsidies, or combination of the two, and for 6G, this needs to be addressed from the very beginning. In the event the government considers access to broadband Internet at par with access to clean water, roads, electricity, public hospitals, it becomes another public investment whose returns are better measured in social impact, GDP growth, etc., which may also be translated into money. Since there are discussions on the objectives of 6G, one of them being social impact, it is important to also consider key performance indicators (KPIs) of 6G related to societal considerations. These could be measured by such parameters as increase in life expectancy due to increased consumption of healthcare information and improved environment; increased literacy rates in rural and remote areas; reduction in unemployment rate; gender equality, and good governance.