Shaping the Future of 6G: Business Models and Sustainability Perspectives

As mobile communication systems evolve toward 6G, the focus is expanding beyond connectivity and performance toward sustainability and societal value. In this context, ISAC is emerging as a key technological enabler of intelligent, context-aware networks.

Deliverable 2.3 of the 6G MUSICAL project, “Business Models and Sustainability Impact,” explores how sustainability principles and business model innovation can be embedded into 6G systems, with a particular focus on ISAC technologies.

6G is expected to support hyper-connected environments, advanced automation, and real-time sensing capabilities. However, these advancements also introduce new sustainability challenges that must be addressed from the design stage.

To ensure responsible development, sustainability in 6G is structured around three pillars:

• environmental sustainability
• social sustainability
• economic sustainability

These pillars provide the foundation for future ISAC-enabled networks to deliver value while minimising negative impacts.

Sustainability challenges in 6G and ISAC:

The transition toward 6G with ISAC technologies contains several interconnected challenge areas:

• Increased energy consumption
• Rising greenhouse gas emissions and limited standardisation of reporting mechanisms
• Environmental and social impacts linked to supply chains
• E-waste management and limited recycling capabilities
• Data related trust, privacy, and reliability concerns
• Uncertainty in pricing models and economic structures for sensing services

From connectivity to sensing-enabled services:

Traditional telecom business models that focus on connectivity are no longer sufficient. 6G with ISAC aims at a shift toward services that combine communication with real-time environmental and contextual awareness for applications in different vertical sectors.

New sustainability framework:

6G-MUSICAL project’s D2.3 contributes to defining how sustainability and business model thinking can be integrated into future 6G systems. The 6G-MUSICAL project introduces a new structured framework that connects:

• sustainability challenges
• business model innovation
• sustainability assessment approaches
• strategic management actions

This ensures that sustainability is addressed across both “Sustainable 6G” and “6G for Sustainability” dimensions.

The integration of ISAC into 6G networks has significant implications for society, economy, and the environment.

From a societal perspective, it enables improved public safety, environmental monitoring, and more resilient urban systems. For the economy, it creates opportunities for new business models based on sensing-enabled services. From an environmental standpoint, it supports more efficient resource usage and smarter system coordination.

The development of the interdisciplinary framework bridges engineering, economic, and sustainability perspectives, ensuring that ISAC technologies are aligned with long-term societal and environmental objectives.

Sustainability must be embedded into 6G design from the outset, not treated as an afterthought. ISAC technologies provide a unique opportunity in 6G to align communication networks with environmental and societal needs.

Moving forward, the project will further refine the sustainability framework and translate it into actionable strategies for 6G stakeholders, supporting the development of responsible and future-proof digital infrastructures.

Authors

• Dr Oxana Gisca, Martti Ahtisaari Institute
• Dr Marja Matinmikko-Blue, Centre for Wireless Communications