New European Consortium Launches MULTIPLY-6G to Cut Energy Demands in Next-Generation Wireless Networks

A 14-partner consortium spanning global telecom operators, technology developers, industrial manufacturers, and research institutions gathered at Trinity College Dublin on the 24 and 25 June to officially launch MULTIPLY-6G. The three-year Horizon Europe initiative aims to address one of telecommunications’ most pressing challenges: the sharp surge in energy and hardware demands accompanying future wireless networks.

Hosted by project coordinator Trinity College Dublin, the kick-off meeting established the technical roadmap and working relationships across the seven European nations represented. Over two days of sessions, the consortium aligned on the core architecture and work packages designed to bring physical-layer radio breakthroughs out of the lab and into real-world networks.

Initial discussions focused on baseline alignment and backward compatibility, specifically how to deploy advanced multi-dimensional waveforms on top of legacy frameworks without disrupting standard protocols. The team also set out the criteria for defining realistic 6G use cases and established a phased approach to channel modelling.

The summit featured a keynote address from the assigned Project Officer representing the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Commission. The address mapped MULTIPLY-6G’s strategic role within Europe’s broader technological sovereignty and strategic autonomy goals.

Technical streams detailed upcoming work on multi-dimensional MAC layers, AI-driven resource management, and early planning for hardware-in-the-loop testbed validation. To ensure rapid progress, the consortium agreed to immediate technical launches across work packages and a regular cadence of cross-collaboration.

Looking ahead, the consortium established a shared impact strategy aimed at submitting at least 25 technical contributions directly to international standardisation bodies, including 3GPP and ETSI. Over the next three years, the partners will focus on translating complex wireless physics into tangible, energy-efficient network performance.