Inclusion-by-Design for 6G | Operational Brief

Inclusion is a core European value and precondition for the legitimacy of sixth-generation (6G) mobile network deployment. As digital connectivity increasingly mediates healthcare, education, work, and civic participation, access and use now determine who can exercise democratic rights and access essential services. 6G’s deeper integration with critical infrastructure will amplify these dynamics unless inclusion is embedded from the outset. Findings from the 6G4Society project show 45 percent of surveyed citizens identified inclusion and access as top priorities for future digital development, linking connectivity to social justice and quality of life. Without proactive measures, next-generation networks risk reproducing and amplifying current patterns of exclusion, concentrating opportunity among already advantaged populations while deepen the marginalisation of vulnerable groups. Project findings confirm that persistent gaps in current connectivity generations threaten to be replicated or worsened in 6G deployment. Rural and peripheral territories remain underserved, affordability provisions are uneven, and skills gaps persist among older adults, jobseekers, low-income households. Accessibility standards are only partially implemented, while citizens reported limited participation in infrastructure decisions. Evidence gathered through citizen surveys, expert interviews, and Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) project analysis reveals that inclusion remains a widely articulated public expectation but an underdeveloped dimension of current research and deployment practice. These insights underscore that the success of 6G will depend not only on technical performance but on embedding European values such as fairness, cohesion, and democratic legitimacy into its governance and design. This operational brief examines: How can Europe ensure that 6G deployment serves all citizens rather than reproducing existing patterns of digital exclusion? It proposes six main recommendations: 1. Guarantee equitable infrastructure access and affordability through coverage planning, transparent reporting, and meaningful social tariffs; 2. Build sustainable local digital-skills ecosystems aligned with the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp); 3. Implement outcome-focused monitoring and intervention using disaggregated indicators and Key Value Indicators (KVIs); 4. Embed accessibility-by-design across 6G systems and services in compliance with EN 301 549 and emerging standards; 5. Strengthen participatory governance and procedural justice through meaningful community engagement; 6. Contribute to inclusion-focused research and coordinated European efforts.