Revolutionary Internet Architecture to Overcome Technical Challenges

The current generation of global connectivity, while impressive, faces unprecedented demands for greater speed, capacity, and universal reach. The future network must be faster, more versatile, and capable of supporting everything from smart cities to remote digital health. 

This necessity is driving a fundamental architectural shift that spans terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, which transform the digital landscape from its core. Changes of the internet architecture encompass 5G/6G and the use of satellite internet, as a vital response for global progress. 

Contribution of 5G and 6G, and LEO satellites to The Network

The scope of changes of internet architecture spans from the fifth-generation of cellular networks (5G) , the conceptual and AI-driven potential of 5G (6G) communication, and the truly global coverage offered by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations. 

5G and the mmWave Breakthrough

• Purpose: Foundational change intended to support the Internet of Things (IoT), industrial automation, and highly interactive applications.
• Initial Deployment (NSA): Non-Standalone approach; utilizes existing 4G infrastructure for control signaling alongside 5G radios for data, enabling fast deployment but restricting full capability.
• Ultimate Goal (SA): Standalone architecture, which uses a dedicated 5G core for advanced features.
• Speed Mechanism: Enabled by millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum and massive MIMO.
• Deployment Challenge: Requires dense small cell deployment.
• Major change of internet architecture for 5G: Transition to a fully virtualized core, enabling network slicing and virtualization.

6G: The Terahertz Ambition

• Performance Goals: Aims for Terabits-per-second (Tbps) data rates using the Terahertz (THz) spectrum.
• Key Network Functions: designed to deliver Massive Connectivity (millions of devices per km²) and Ultra-Low Latency (microseconds) for mission-critical and seamless AR/VR applications; powered by Intelligent Network Functions, where AI is embedded at every level to integrate communication with sensing for efficiency and performance.
• Processing Shift: Requires deploying Edge AI/Computing, pushing processing closer to the user for maximum real-time responsiveness .
• Major change of internet architecture for 6G: Creation of the Ubiquitous Intelligence (UI) platform, driven inherently by AI.

Satellite and Low Latency: LEO networks

• Component Type: Critical non-terrestrial component, specifically the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation (e.g., Starlink, Amazon Kuiper).
• Key Advantage: By orbiting closer than geostationary systems, LEO constellations simultaneously enable low latency (20 to 40 milliseconds) and deliver high-speed broadband capacity essential for remote and underserved areas.
• Capacity Boosters: Technical improvements include spot beams and enhanced spectrum reuse.
• New Services: Extending reach with services like Direct to Cell (DTC), connecting standard mobile devices directly to the space-based network 
• Major change of internet architecture for satellite: Integration of the space-based network layer (LEO) as a non-terrestrial backhaul for true global coverage.

Strategy to Bridge the Digital Divide

The effort to close the global access gap for the billions of unconnected people requires a multi-faceted approach that leverages all 3 technologies.

5G’s Incremental Coverage

The reliance of the 5G NSA rollout on existing cellular sites means its expansion into remote areas remains an incremental and often slow process. While it successfully manages traffic density and improves capacity in existing urban and suburban regions, it does not offer a financially viable solution for the most isolated or difficult-to-reach populations due to the density of small cells required.

LEO Satellites: True Global Coverage

LEO satellite broadband is being adopted as a strategic component for universal service. This system provides the first truly viable solution for ubiquitous connectivity in unserved areas, including remote rural communities, maritime shipping lanes, and global aviation routes, where terrestrial fiber or cell networks are economically or geographically infeasible. 

This non-terrestrial reach is essential for communities in challenging terrains or remote locations, positioning it as a planned, rather than a last-resort, strategy for connecting underserved homes

The 6G Vision

The future of inclusion is tied to the fusion of LEO and 6G concepts, which enables advanced accessibility tools to function without constant, high-speed cloud access. 

The strategy relies on Edge AI being optimized via techniques such as model quantization and pruning to run efficiently on low-cost mobile devices, thereby maintaining performance, resilience, and privacy even when network strength is limited.

The Hurdles of Achieving Speed and Coverage

Regulatory, financial, and technical aspects come as challenges of internet architecture changes.

5G Challenges (Cost & Security)

• Financial viability is undermined by the high cost of deploying the necessary fiber backhaul for dense small cell environments.
• The virtualized foundation introduces new security vulnerabilities and widens the attack surface beyond traditional defenses.

6G Challenges (Standardization & Spectrum)

• Requires complex global standardization and careful allocation of new frequency bands (e.g., Terahertz) to manage interference.

LEO Satellite Challenges (Regulation & Congestion)

• Expansion is hindered by international regulatory processes and delays in securing dedicated spectrum.
• Service quality must be maintained under pressure from localized congestion caused by temporary spikes in user density.

Converged Network Challenges (Interoperability & Future Security)

• Interoperability: The convergence of terrestrial, LEO, and airborne networks necessitates sophisticated management of network slicing and orchestration for seamless handovers and consistent Quality of Service (QoS).
• Decentralization: Standardizing the interoperability of emerging decentralized platforms (e.g., blockchain) is needed to ensure global scalability and prevent isolated systems.
• Future Security: The disruptive threat of Quantum Computing looms, potentially rendering current public-key encryption obsolete and demanding immediate research into quantum-resilient cryptographic protocols.

Deliver on The Promise Near-Universal Coverage

The current changes of internet architecture simultaneously pursue massive speed increases through 5G and 6G, and genuine global coverage via LEO satellites. This tri-architectural convergence for inclusive global communication entails collaborative effort among industry, government, and standardization bodies.