5G Next: How digitalisation is leading to advanced capabilities for antennas

This Insight Spotlight is the third part of a series – called 5G Next – to help better understand the promising 5G technology innovations shaping mobile networks. This edition explores the future of antennas and the potential impact of the digitalisation of antennas on operator finances and service quality.

Antenna technology is evolving. Newly developed functionality includes sensing, remote control, multidimensional tilt and use of digital twins. Optimising site-level coverage has traditionally been a task performed before deployment. However, with site environments constantly and quickly changing, new antenna capabilities will soon enable operators post deployment to adjust the antenna tilt and reshape the antenna beam and coverage, potentially saving energy and improving service quality.