KT Demonstrates LTE·5G Antenna Combined Radio Unit with Ericsson

LTE Antennas Overlaid with 5G Antennas
Increased Utilization of Narrow Building Rooftops Contributes to Expanding 5G Coverage

KT and Ericsson employees are testing the performance of a radio unit combining LTE and 5G antennas. Photo by KT

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] KT announced on the 10th that it has successfully completed the development and technical verification of a radio unit combining LTE and 5G antennas at Ericsson's research center in Sweden. In a situation where rooftop space for placing 5G equipment is limited, the ability to operate integrated LTE equipment is expected to greatly help expand 5G coverage.

The radio unit developed by KT and Ericsson is designed with the 5G antenna stacked behind the LTE antenna so that the 5G signal passes through the LTE passive antenna. Using this unit reduces the space occupied by antennas, allowing more LTE and 5G antennas to be installed within the same building area.

During the development of the new radio unit, the two companies confirmed a phenomenon where the performance of 5G beamforming (a technology that focuses signals on specific receiving devices rather than sending them in multiple directions) decreases due to the influence of the LTE antenna located at the front.

To solve this issue, KT and Ericsson introduced the ‘beam-through’ technology to the equipment. Beam-through is a technology that selectively allows only specific signals to pass through. KT achieved 100% performance of the 5G antenna without the influence of the LTE antenna during testing using this technology.

Jae-hyung Koo, Executive Director of KT’s Network Research and Technology Headquarters, said, “Through this equipment development collaboration with Ericsson, KT has secured a foundation to expand 5G coverage in small spaces and provide high-quality 5G services anytime and anywhere.” He added, “KT will further strengthen its competitiveness in 5G services through this.”