ETSI unveils first key insights into 6G sensing and communication integration

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has released its first detailed report analysing advanced Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) use cases and deployment scenarios, laying critical groundwork for the development of future 6G systems. The report, ETSI GR ISC 001, was produced by the ETSI ISAC Industry Specification Group (ISG) and marks a significant step toward identifying the functional and performance requirements necessary to support emerging ISAC technologies.

Covering 18 sophisticated use cases, the document explores scenarios ranging from human motion recognition and emergency rescue to autonomous vehicle navigation and industrial robotics. Each use case is examined in detail, including deployment settings, supporting technologies, sensing modes, and required system capabilities. This in-depth analysis introduces a structure of three integration levels – tight, intermediate, and loose – and six sensing modes, encompassing monostatic and bistatic configurations for both base stations and user equipment. These definitions contribute to a proposed framework aimed at standardising sensing features within the upcoming 6G networks.

The report highlights the deployment versatility of ISAC systems, showcasing their applicability across indoor, outdoor, and hybrid environments. It addresses a range of mobile and stationary sensing targets, including people, vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and robots. It also outlines frequency band utilisation strategies, incorporating low (sub-6 GHz), mid (~7–24 GHz), and high (millimetre wave and terahertz) frequency bands, often complemented by non-radio frequency (RF) sensors such as cameras and environmental detectors.

An important aspect of the analysis is the fusion of data sources, considering both 6G system and non-6G system data integration, with important implications for system architecture and trust management. The report also emphasises the importance of security, privacy, and sustainability, especially in human-centric ISAC applications, ensuring that these factors are built into future systems from the start.

The report also introduces new functional requirement categories and proposes new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as Fine Motion Accuracy and Sensing Service Range, to create a robust evaluation framework for 6G sensing services. This work is already influencing the development of further ETSI reports, including those on channel modelling, system and RAN architecture, and the integration of computing with ISAC.

ETSI GR ISC 001 provides a comprehensive analysis that will play a vital role in shaping the technical requirements for next-generation 6G systems, reinforcing ETSI’s leadership in advancing communications and sensing integration.

Why is this important to civil society organisations?

This report is important to civil society organisations (CSOS) because it addresses how future 6G systems will integrate sensing technologies directly into communication networks, affecting critical areas such as privacy, surveillance, data security, environmental impact, and human rights. Civil society organisations often advocate for the protection of these rights and the ethical use of technology, so early involvement in shaping the development of Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is crucial.

Specifically:

• Privacy and surveillance: ISAC technologies can sense human motion, recognise objects, and monitor environments with high precision. If embedded in public infrastructure, this could lead to widespread surveillance capabilities. CSOs concerned with privacy rights need to ensure that safeguards, consent mechanisms, and transparency requirements are built into the technology standards from the start.
• Security and trust: The fusion of communication and sensing increases the complexity of networks and opens new cybersecurity risks. CSOs that focus on digital rights and security advocacy will have an interest in ensuring that these systems are resilient, transparent in their functioning, and protect users from exploitation or misuse.
• Environmental and social sustainability: The report emphasises the importance of sustainable ISAC development. CSOs engaged in environmental protection or sustainable technology development will be concerned with how the expanded use of radio frequencies, sensors, and energy resources for sensing services will impact society and the environment.
• Equitable access and societal impact: As 6G sensing capabilities could transform industries like healthcare, transport, and emergency services, there is a risk that benefits could be unevenly distributed. CSOs advocating for equity, inclusion, and fair access to technology will want to influence policies ensuring that ISAC developments serve public interest broadly and do not widen existing digital divides.

By engaging early with the standards-setting process that this ETSI report is shaping, civil society organisations can advocate for human-centric design, ethical governance frameworks, and protective measures that safeguard public interest before the technology becomes deeply embedded in everyday life.