Turkcell and ZTE have completed Europe’s first dynamic Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) trial on a 5G Advanced mmWave network, achieving substantial performance gains in dense urban areas. Conducted at Turkcell’s 5G Advanced test network in Istanbul, the trial focused on improving mmWave coverage and optimizing network performance in complex environments where signal obstruction is common. The collaboration represents a step forward in the commercialization of RIS technology, laying a foundation for future applications in smart cities.
The trial demonstrated key network improvements using RIS, a low-power wireless technology based on electromagnetic metamaterials that can control large-scale passive antenna elements. The dynamic RIS solution extended mmWave coverage and increased throughput, enhancing user experience with dynamic beam scanning and user tracking capabilities. The trials reported major improvements in non-line-of-sight (NLoS) areas: RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) rose by 24 dB, downlink peak rates increased from 119 Mbps to 1.89 Gbps, and uplink peak rates climbed from 2.2 Mbps to 248 Mbps, indicating a marked potential for RIS in high-density networks.
- Turkcell and ZTE conducted Europe’s first dynamic RIS trial in a 5G Advanced mmWave network.
- Trial focused on enhancing 5G mmWave coverage and performance in dense urban settings.
- RIS technology showed significant improvements in NLoS areas, with RSRP up by 24 dB.
- Downlink peak rates increased from 119 Mbps to 1.89 Gbps, while uplink rates rose from 2.2 Mbps to 248 Mbps.
- RIS technology expected to expedite the commercial roll-out of 5G Advanced and lay groundwork for 6G.
Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör, CTO of Network Technologies at Turkcell, said, “Through our collaboration with ZTE, focusing on RIS, we made valuable observations on the capabilities of RIS in mmWave networks, which will greatly enhance the user experience and expedite 5G Advanced.”