Toward Sustainability in 6G and Beyond: Challenges and Opportunities of Open RAN

The transition to 6G is expected to bring significant advancements, including much higher data rates, enhanced reliability and ultra-low latency compared to previous generations. Although 6G is anticipated to be 100 times more energy-efficient, this increased efficiency does not necessarily mean reduced energy consumption or enhanced sustainability. Network sustainability encompasses a broader scope, integrating business viability, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility. This paper explores the sustainability requirements for 6G and proposes Open RAN as a key architectural solution. By enabling network diversification, fostering open and continuous innovation, and integrating AI/ML, Open RAN can promote sustainability in 6G. The paper identifies high energy consumption and e-waste generation as critical sustainability challenges and discusses how Open RAN can address these issues through softwarisation, edge computing, and AI integration.