Optus pilots Ericsson's Interference Sensing for 5G

Optus and Ericsson have completed a live-network pilot using the latter’s Interference Sensing technology, designed to improve network performance and deliver a better data experience for customers by dynamically sensing and mitigating inter-cell interference in real time.

Interference Sensing technology, a novel commercial-grade software feature within Ericsson’s Massive MIMO 5G Advanced portfolio, uses Ericsson’s algorithm to dynamically sense and reduce inter-cell interference, resulting in an increase in user throughput and network capacity. Through Ericsson’s state-of-the-art beamforming, the signal energy is maximised for the serving cell users while avoiding interference with neighbouring cell users, which should improve overall network capacity.

An average increase in user throughput of 22% was achieved during pilot testing, across multiple users and cells in a commercial network deployment. The pilot thus showcased how Interference Sensing can make a difference in real-world situations by addressing inter-cell interference issues as 5G networks densify, suggesting a future where mobile networks are more effective, reliable and able to meet the growing need for wireless data applications and services.

“We are excited at Optus to be involved in another world-first demonstration using Ericsson’s cutting-edge technology to improve our network performance and customer experience,” said Kent Wu, Optus Vice President Access Network Strategy, Planning and Quality.

“This technology will deliver a better data experience for customers, with faster data throughput. It will also allow for the implementation of new and improved use cases for video streaming, enterprise and consumer mobile cloud gaming services, stadium 5G service applications and AR/VR.”

Ericsson said the deployment of its Interference Sensing technology marks a major milestone for the telecommunications sector and lays the foundation for the company’s 5G Advanced performance capabilities. As 5G traffic load continues to increase, this technology will help to address the increased inter-cell interference and unlock the full potential of 5G networks, enabling seamless connectivity, rapid download speeds and a better mobile experience for users.

“Interference Sensing provides up to 40% capacity gain on existing Massive MIMO hardware with only a software upgrade — an achievement that has earned industry recognition,” said Sibel Tombaz, Head of Product Line Cloud & Purpose-built 5G RAN, Ericsson Networks.

“It has been an immense opportunity to collaborate with Optus for this first demonstration of our technology on their network. This technology will enable Optus to unlock new capacity and speed capabilities, opening the door to exciting use cases for consumers and enterprises in the 5G Advanced era.”

Image courtesy Ericsson.