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6G to Take the Digital Divide by Storm: Key Technologies and Trends to Bridge the Gap

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  • Chiara Suraci

    (Department of Information Engineering, Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (DIIES), University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89100 Reggio Calabria, Italy)

  • Sara Pizzi

    (Department of Information Engineering, Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (DIIES), University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89100 Reggio Calabria, Italy)

  • Federico Montori

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering (DISI), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Marco Di Felice

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering (DISI), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Giuseppe Araniti

    (Department of Information Engineering, Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy (DIIES), University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, 89100 Reggio Calabria, Italy)

Abstract

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has shed light on the urgency of bridging the digital divide to guarantee equity in the fruition of different services by all citizens. The inability to access the digital world may be due to a lack of network infrastructure, which we refer to as service-delivery divide , or to the physical conditions, handicaps, age, or digital illiteracy of the citizens, that is mentioned as service-fruition divide . In this paper, we discuss the way how future sixth-generation (6G) systems can remedy actual limitations in the realization of a truly digital world. Hence, we introduce the key technologies for bridging the digital gap and show how they can work in two use cases of particular importance, namely eHealth and education, where digital inequalities have been dramatically augmented by the pandemic. Finally, considerations about the socio-economical impacts of future 6G solutions are drawn.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiara Suraci & Sara Pizzi & Federico Montori & Marco Di Felice & Giuseppe Araniti, 2022. "6G to Take the Digital Divide by Storm: Key Technologies and Trends to Bridge the Gap," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jftint:v:14:y:2022:i:6:p:189-:d:842503
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    Keywords

    6G; digital divide; NTNs; AI; XR; MEC; affective computing; BCI; D2D; use cases;
    All these keywords.

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