Rethinking Test, Measurement, and Validation for 6G Networks
Date, hour and room to be defined
Organisers
- Michael Dieudonné (Keysight Technologies Belgium BV , BE)
Motivation and Background
6G introduces complexity not only in network architectures but also in network operation. This complexity is driven by extreme performance targets, native AI capabilities, the integration of novel technologies, including the convergence of communication and sensing. These advancements must be reflected in network testing, validation, and performance, as well as functional assurance throughout the entire network lifecycle.
As 6G systems increasingly incorporate AI-enabled functions across their entire operational lifecycle—including system deployment, configuration, optimization, and runtime operation—their performance and the availability of functions (e.g., sensing and communication) are no longer deterministically defined. This shift raises new challenges related to benchmarking, validation metrics, explainability, and lifecycle testing, fundamentally challenging traditional approaches to testing, measurement, and validation designed for deterministic network behavior.
At the same time, emerging 6G technologies—e.g., reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, digital twins, and integrated sensing and communication—demand novel measurement setups and holistic cross-layer and cross-functional validation frameworks. The latter are required to adequately test new capabilities, technologies, and performance targets.
Rethinking test, measurement, and validation in 6G is therefore both timely and critical, as new methodologies are required to ensure trustworthiness, reproducibility of performance assessment results, along with robustness, and compliance of the system operation with set targets.
At this stage of 6G development, even the achievability of the targeted KPIs and capabilities remains an open question.
The SNS JU projects are at the forefront of 6G research and are leading efforts to address these challenges by delivering architectures, platforms, testbeds, and methodologies that will shape future 6G testing, measurement, and assurance processes.
This workshop will focus on consolidating and disseminating performance results from SNS JU projects, while fostering discussion of the associated challenges and of how existing approaches to testing, measurement, and validation must evolve to meet the requirements of 6G networks.
Structure
The format of the Workshop will be based on presentations. An indicative structure in terms of thematic/topics to be presented/discussed will be as follows:
- Introduction to Test Measurement and Validation in 6G (~1 presentation)
Setting the scope and objectives of the workshop, with reference to the 6G Standards and SNS JU context.
(Speaker: Michael Dieudonné) - 6G Performance, Technologies, Capabilities and their Impact on Testing and Validation (~2-3 Presentations)
Thematic focusing on the impact -on TMV- of the architectural and operational complexity in 6G, the extreme 6G KPIs, the AI-native operation, the convergence of communication and sensing, and the assurance of security, including challenges faced and limitation of existing TMV approaches.
Results and experiences shared from R&D projects’ activities on TMV of KPIs, lessons learned, identification of gaps and further research on TMV aspects.
(Speakers: Matteo Pagin (6G-SANDBOX), Luis Cordeiro (6G-PATH), Anna Tzanakaki (5G-TACTIC)) - AI-Native 6G – TMV Challenges and Novel Methodologies (~2 Presentations)
With view to non-deterministic behavior and AI-enabled functions in 6G, thematic focusing on 1. TMV methods across 6G deployment, configuration, optimization, and runtime, 2. approaches in Benchmarking and validating AI-driven network functions, 3. explainability, robustness, and reproducibility of results in AI-driven 6G networks, 4. results, comparison and reuse.
(Speakers: Israel Koffman (OPTI6G), Andreas Gavrielides (6G-XCEL)) - Emerging 6G Technologies and Novel TMV Frameworks (~2 presentations)
Thematic focusing on TMV frameworks, including tools and methodologies to test 6G new capabilities like RIS, ISAC, digital twins, advanced measurement setups and experimentation environments, Cross-layer and cross-functional TMV frameworks etc.
(Speakers: Jesús Gutiérrez (6G-SENSES, Multi-X), Andreas Gavrielides (I-See6G)) - Data Collection and Data Reusability for TMV (1 presentation)
Presentations related to current state of the work TMV around data collection and curation, for reproducibility and comparability of performance results.
(Speaker: Michael Dieudonné (TMV Data Reusability WG chair) - KPI to KVI transformation. (1 presentation)
Presentation opening up the discussion if KVI be extracted from KPI? (Speaker: Luis Cordeiro, joint presentation from SUSTAIN 6G, DESIRE-6G, 6G-PATH and 6G-SANDBOX) - Discussion on Roadmap and Way Forward (discussion)
Open Discussion focusing on key takeaways and identified best practices, recommendations for SNS JU projects’ TMV activities, next steps toward sustainable 6G TMV frameworks.
Open discussion: To be moderated by Anastasios Gavras (supported by Michael Dieudonné).
