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The commercial launch of 6G communications systems and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, UN SDGs, are both targeted for 2030. 6G communications is expected to boost global growth and productivity, create new business models and transform many aspects of society. The UN SDGs are a way of framing opportunities and challenges of a desirable future world and cover topics as broad as ending poverty, gender equality, climate change and smart cities. The relationship between these potentially mutually reinforcing forces is currently under-defined. Building on the vision for 6G, a review of megatrends, on-going activities on the relation of mobile communications to the UN SDGs and existing indicators, a novel linkage between 6G and the UN SDGs is proposed via indicators. The white paper has also launched the work of deriving new 6G related indicators to guide the research of 6G systems. The novel linkage is built on the envisaged three-fold role of 6G as a provider of services to help steer and support communities and countries towards reaching the UN SDGs, as an enabler of measuring tool for data collection to help reporting of indicators with hyperlocal granularity, and as a reinforcer of new ecosystems based on 6G technology enablers and 6G network of networks to be developed in line with the UN SDGs that incorporates future mobile communication technologies available in 2030. Related challenges are also identified. An action plan is presented along with prioritized focus areas within the mobile communication sector technology and industry evolution to best support the achievement of the UN SDGs.

In many places all over the world rural and remote areas lack proper connectivity that has led to increasing digital divide. These areas might have low population density, low incomes, etc., making them less attractive places to invest and operate connectivity networks. 6G could be the first mobile radio generation truly aiming to close the digital divide. However, in order to do so, special requirements and challenges have to be considered since the beginning of the design process. The aim of this white paper is to discuss requirements and challenges and point out related, identified research topics that have to be solved in 6G. This white paper first provides a generic discussion, shows some facts and discusses targets set in international bodies related to rural and remote connectivity and digital divide. Then the paper digs into technical details, i.e., into a solutions space. Each technical section ends with a discussion and then highlights identified 6G challenges and research ideas as a list., Comment: A 6G white paper, 17 pages