As Europe prepares for the leap to 6G connectivity, researchers, policymakers and citizens are working together to ensure the next digital revolution is not only faster, but also ethical, sustainable and inclusive.
What if tomorrow’s super-fast, super-connected digital world was shaped by public values from the start? Dr. Monique Calisti, an Italian engineer, entrepreneur and researcher, is leading the charge to keep people at the center of digital transformation.
“I have three teenage daughters and feel a huge responsibility to provide them with a sustainable and socially inclusive digital world,” she said.
Calisti is the founder and CEO of Martel Innovate, a digital innovation and consulting company based in Switzerland with offices in the Netherlands. She also founded Digital for Planet, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable, ethical, and inclusive digital technologies.
The cutting edge of next-generation 6G connectivity
Kalisti is currently leading a two-year EU-funded initiative called 6G4Society to ensure that when the next generation of mobile networks, 6G, arrives, it will not only be faster and more capable, but also inclusive, sustainable, ethical and reliable.
Today’s 5G wireless networks are already paving the way. However, 6G is expected to make a huge leap forward around 2030. Not only is it significantly faster, but it also reduces latency (the delay between sending a signal and receiving a response).
In practice, this means near-instantaneous responses, which is essential for applications such as remote surgery, self-driving cars, and improved environmental monitoring.
For everyday users, 6G offers clear benefits. Connectivity will be pervasive, lightning fast and extremely reliable, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds.
“The vision is to build a highly reliable network where, for example, you can display a 3D image of the person you are talking to in the same room and have a hologram conversation,” she said. This helps children in hospitals or refugees to talk to their loved ones, for example.
unlock future benefits
Telemedicine, remote surgery, and vehicles communicating directly with infrastructure could all become the norm within the next decade, opening up new possibilities for society.
This means, for example, that a top heart surgeon in Paris can use fast and reliable 6G connectivity to operate a robotic arm in a Romanian hospital and perform life-saving surgery on a patient on the other side of Europe.
However, along with its potential, 6G also raises questions. The rollout of 5G in 2019-2020 raised public concerns about health, environment, and privacy. Kalisti, who lived in Switzerland, was surprised by the strong opposition from a large section of the population.
This shows that new technology cannot be expected to be quickly accepted by the public, she acknowledged. Kalisti therefore aims to lay the foundations now to ensure that 6G development prioritizes people and the environment and is widely accepted.
Society first approach
The 6G4Society team brings together universities, industry, policy makers, non-profit organizations and civil society groups across Europe to work towards a technologically advanced, yet socially responsible network of the future.
“Our work is truly unique because we are dedicated to considering the social, environmental and sustainability aspects of 6G technology development,” said Callisti.
The initiative is also part of a broader European effort to accelerate the rollout of 5G and lay the foundations for 6G connectivity. Central to this initiative is the European Smart Networks and Services Joint Venture.
The public-private partnership has a budget of €1.8 million for the period 2021 to 2027, funding projects covering everything from advanced network technologies to security, cloud systems, sustainability and microelectronics.
By bringing together EU policymakers, businesses and researchers, we aim to keep Europe at the cutting edge of these technologies while ensuring they meet the real needs of society.
Voices beyond engineering
While engineers design technology, social scientists help explain how it is used and how it fits into society.
One of them is Dr. Katrina Petersen, a senior researcher at Public Safety Communication Europe, a non-profit organization that focuses on communication systems for emergency services such as firefighters, ambulances and police.
She argues that involving the social sciences adds an important alternative perspective to explore why technology is used and what value it should serve. “Involving end users and wider society is critical,” she said.
Citing a real-world example, Petersen pointed to the challenges faced by emergency workers. In crises like wildfires and floods, emergency responders across agencies and borders still struggle to communicate effectively.
By incorporating these insights into the process, the 6G4Society team can help developers start by considering the impact of 6G and the needs of society and its citizens, thereby improving lives now and in the future.
listen to citizens’ voices
To understand public expectations, 6G4Society scientists are conducting surveys across Europe to gather people’s experiences with 5G and expectations for 6G. Caristi said survey responses varied by location and age.
“Young people are more concerned about the environment, and older people are more concerned about privacy and security.”
When asked about 5G, 23% of respondents mentioned speed and connectivity, and 16% expressed concerns or criticism. Most people are optimistic for now, expecting 6G to improve access to faster, more reliable information.
And while many expect 6G connectivity to be more energy efficient, Kalisti is quick to point out that sustainability goes far beyond energy.
Mining of rare minerals, electronic waste and impacts on the wider ecosystem are also important. Initiatives like 6G4Society aim to ensure these issues don’t go unnoticed.
Shaping Europe’s digital future
The 6G4Society team will continue to engage with the public through interviews, workshops, and webinars until the collaboration officially ends in December 2025. Its findings will help inform EU policy and guide industry decisions over the coming years.
As Europe prepares for the arrival of 6G connectivity, its efforts highlight the importance of shaping technology with social values in mind.
By engaging citizens, social scientists, and industry in the conversation, these efforts aim to ensure that the next digital revolution delivers not just speed, but a fairer and more inclusive future for everyone.
The research for this article was funded by the EU’s Horizon Programme. The views of the interviewees do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.
This article was originally published in Horizon, EU Research and Innovation Magazine.
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