White Paper on Network Digital Twins: The RESTART Research Project Toward the Networks of the Future

/ March 16, 2026/ News, Publications

The digitization of communication networks and industrial systems is evolving toward a paradigm in which physical infrastructures can be replicated, monitored, and optimized through virtual counterparts. This is the context for the concept of the Network Digital Twin (NDT), a dynamic and constantly synchronized replica of a network that enables predictive analytics, scenario simulations, and automated decision-making processes without interfering with actual operations.

As part of the RESTART Program, and specifically RESTART Grand Challenge #4, a new white paper has been published that builds on the work initiated in an earlier document dedicated to the conceptual and architectural foundations of NDTs.

The new study presents experimental results and use cases developed by various RESTART projects, demonstrating how Network Digital Twins can be practically applied in various network and industrial contexts.

The document also relates these experiences to the standardization activities carried out by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for the evolution of 5G-Advanced and 6G, contributing to the debate on the evolution of next-generation network architectures.

The results confirm the potential of Digital Twin Networks as a practical and enabling technology for the development of future communication systems, while also highlighting the RESTART program’s contribution to advancing research in this field.