Towards 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.