The UNITY-6G consortium recently convened for its 5th Face-to-Face Plenary Meeting. Hosted by project partner IMEC in Ghent, Belgium, on June 9–11, 2026, the three-day assembly allowed partners to review technical progress in person, coordinate upcoming deliverables, and prepare for the project’s Mid-Term Review (MTR).
The meeting structured updates across all active work packages to ensure continued alignment between theoretical design and practical implementation.
Technical Updates and Architecture Refinement
The initial sessions focused on project exploitation, dissemination strategies, and defining Key Exploitable Results. Technical discussions then transitioned into specific architectural and functional updates:
- Architecture & Trustworthiness (WP2): Partners reviewed updates to the global architecture, focusing on data and control plane unification across multiple domains, such as Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), Terrestrial Networks (TN), and Wi-Fi, among others. Progress was also shared on using Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to resolve conflicts securely within the network.
- Network Frameworks & Exposure (WP3): Teams reviewed the network exposure framework, its current alignment with CAMARA status updates, developments regarding O-RAN Wi-Fi Access Points, and recent paper publications.
- Semantic Communications (WP4): Discussions covered developments in semantic communication models and distributed extensions, alongside technical preparations and local presentations for the review meeting.
- Service Orchestration (WP5): Work focused on Intelligent Data Management and Orchestration (IDMO) implementation, progress regarding Multi-RAT (Radio Access Technology) Time-Sensitive Services, and initial integration discussions for XR Semantic services.
Validation and Testbed Progress
A significant portion of the assembly was dedicated to the project’s practical validation activities under Work Package 6. Partners evaluated the deployment status of various Proofs-of-Concept (PoCs) and experimental scenarios.
The agenda included status reviews for both PoC1 and PoC2 components, followed by a visit to the IMEC Testbed, where partners reviewed the laboratory infrastructure and technical environment supporting the project’s upcoming demonstrations.
Cross-Work Package Collaboration and Mid-Term Review Planning
The final day focused on administrative planning and strategic alignment. With the Mid-Term Review approaching, the consortium established timelines for reporting, technical documentation, and financial data management.
Concluding sessions emphasized cross-work package interactions, ensuring that open-source development tools, external feedback, and technical dependencies between architecture and implementation are systematically coordinated across all tracking domains.
The Ghent plenary concluded with a clear roadmap and action points for each work package, positioning the consortium for its next phase of technical reviews.
A big thank you goes to IMEC for hosting the meeting and facilitating the technical sessions.
