Figure 1 The future of connectivity.
The 5G Summit event has been held during IMS since its inception at IMS2017 in collaboration with IEEE Communications Society (Comsoc). The event provides a platform for academic and industrial communities to interact and exchange technology ideas related to technologies of 5G and beyond. The 5G Summit committee is part of the IMS Technical Program Committee and is responsible for selecting timely topics and inviting speakers to create an agenda. This event has been getting sponsorships from industry with encouraging attendance every year ranging from about 300 to 400 attendees.
In addition to the technology advancements with 5G and beyond (toward 6G), the wireless connectivity landscape is changing rapidly with the evolution of Wi-Fi and the broadband wireless satellite network based on Low-Earth Orbit satellite constellations. The 5G standardization, deployment and R&D of next generations are impacting the future directions of connectivity in coordination with beyond Wi-Fi 7 technologies, broadband satellite networks like Space-X Starlink and Amazon Kuiper as well as autonomous vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks (see Figure 1). As the 5G deployments are being planned, IMS2021 will host the “Connected Future Summit,” replacing the “5G Summit” to create a new platform that discusses various connectivity technologies and applications, as well as the coexistence of different wireless standards to enable a safer and smarter world.
As IMS2021 is a hybrid event, the technical program committee is planning for a virtual program in addition to the usual live in-person sessions at the GWCC in Atlanta. The “Connected Future Summit” will be held virtually in June. The planned Connected Future Summit at IMS2021 will review core technologies for future wireless networks along with their human and societal impacts. The day-long program will feature experts from industry and academia sharing technical knowledge and strategies with the summit attendees. The topics will include future trends of 5G and beyond; standardization of both cellular (3GPP) and Wi-Fi Alliance; broadband wireless with satellite constellations; V2X technology with beyond 5G; semiconductor technologies, front ends, system architectures, test and measurement challenges impacting next-generation connectivity evolution. Please join the Connected Future Summit to learn about the future of connectivity!