As the 6G-NTN project reaches its final month this December, Digital for Planet proudly reflects on its contributions to one of Europe’s key initiatives in next-generation mobile and satellite communications. Funded under the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU), 6G-NTN has spent the past three years advancing Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) components to seamlessly integrate with terrestrial 6G infrastructures, aiming to enhance connectivity, inclusivity, and sustainability across Europe.
Driving Innovation Across Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks
The 6G-NTN project has delivered a wealth of technical and strategic results:
- Significant contributions to 3GPP on the integration of NTN into 6G
- 6G LEO based satellite network preliminary sizing for C band (direct to smartphones) and Q/V band (direct to vehicles)
- Q/V band antenna prototype for vehicles mounted devices
6G-NTN has laid the groundwork for a fully integrated 6G ecosystem that will better meet the needs of industries, consumers, and underserved communities.
Digital for Planet’s Strategic Role
Digital for Planet’s contributions were pivotal in ensuring that sustainability and societal impact were embedded throughout the project:
- Integrating Sustainability into Core Activities: Through Work Package 2, Digital for Planet helped define key requirements and criteria for use cases, analysing business and policy factors to ensure environmental and societal considerations were fully incorporated into 6G-NTN’s design and validation process. In Work Package 6, the team further contributed to the project’s sustainability strategy and related activities by analysing the intermingling science, legal, and policy factors.
- Maximising Impact and Awareness: In Work Package 6, Digital for Planet contributed to outreach and engagement initiatives by increasing awareness about the project’s activities and outcomes, helping to promote the project and the overall SNS JU initiative and aiming to create a long-lasting impact at several levels such as scientific, technological, and economic. These efforts highlighted the environmental benefits of 6G-NTN technologies, contributing to the EU Green Deal objectives and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Supporting Effective Project Management: Digital for Planet assisted the University of Bologna and the project coordination team in WP1, ensuring smooth organisational and administrative operations, quality reporting, and alignment across the consortium.
6G-NTN Societal and Environmental Impact
6G-NTN has demonstrated the potential of next-generation NTN components to improve connectivity in remote and underserved areas, enhancing access to essential services and promoting social inclusion. By embedding sustainability in its design and deployment roadmap, the project supports Europe’s environmental goals while advancing industry innovation and competitiveness.
Building on Our Achievements
The conclusion of 6G-NTN marks a major milestone not only for the consortium but also for Digital for Planet, demonstrating the value of strategic sustainability integration, effective stakeholder engagement, and impactful communication in EU-funded research. Through this project, Digital for Planet has strengthened its position as a thought leader in sustainable digital innovation, as well as relevant policy factors to ensure compliance, environmental and societal considerations make part of European next-generation mobile and satellite communications, fostering collaborations that will continue to drive Europe’s green and digital transitions.
