PARTNER CONTENT: Many of us have encountered annoying situations like the following: You’re chatting with a friend through an HD video call, but your screen freezes the moment you enter a building; you’re trying to find your way out of an underground parking lot, but your navigation app can’t connect to the Internet; you’re playing an online game with your friends, but your team loses due to lag; you’re downloading urgent files for work while on a high-speed train during a business trip, but the network speed slows to a snail’s pace; you’re trying to share some majestic scenery at sea through a live video, but your screen constantly freezes.

Now, wider 5G coverage can enable a much-improved mobile Internet user experience. However, network pain points still persist, in settings like indoor spaces, rural areas, high-speed trains, and coastal areas.

How can carriers use new 5G technologies to resolve these pain points? Spectrum resources are fixed, so it is critical that we improve the innovative capabilities of 5G base stations using multiple antennas.

Over the past year, China Telecom and other carriers have been actively deploying 2.1 GHz FDD 5G networks and widely expanding the use of 2.1 GHz 8T8R multi-antenna technology. Relative to 4T4R, 2.1 GHz 8T8R increases the coverage distance by 20% to 40%, and cell capacity by 50% to 70%, and improves the overall user experience by 20% to 40%.

Since its launch one year ago, 8T8R has been commercially deployed in China and other 80+ countries and regions in Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and elsewhere. The 2.1 GHz 8T8R multi-antenna technology has won global acclaim. In 2022, Huawei’s FDD Gigaband ultra- wideband multi-antenna series, which includes 8T8R, won the Best Mobile Network Infrastructure award at the GSMA Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards, commonly referred to as the “Oscars” of the mobile industry. In 2023, the Huawei FDD Beamforming series, which also includes 8T8R, won the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough award at the GLOMO Awards.

In 2022, significant progress was made in the deployment of 2.1 GHz 8T8R equipment in different scenarios. We can examine how the technology can help carriers improve 5G network quality and explore 5G business value. Let’s look back on the deployment and commercial use of the 2.1 GHz 8T8R technology in 5G networks in 2022. We will also take a look at development opportunities in the 5G era.

Accelerated implementation: 2.1 GHz 8T8R can cover every aspect of living

With ever-growing user traffic, carriers need innovative 5G solutions to provide ubiquitous, high-quality 5G networks with wider coverage, superior experiences, and larger capacity. The 2.1 GHz 8T8R technology stands out among technologies and is favored by carriers for its multitude of advantages, such as wide coverage distance, high user-perceived rate, and large capacity.

In 2022, carriers expanded the coverage of 2.1 GHz 8T8R to residential areas, densely populated urban areas, rural areas, high-speed railways, and maritime areas.

In residential areas with complex building structures and large numbers of users, 5G mobile networks often suffer slowdowns due to network coverage blind spots and insufficient network capacity. This is further exacerbated by the difficulty of adding new sites, since existing sites already have dense deployment.

To address this issue, China Telecom deployed 2.1 GHz 8T8R, greatly improving the 5G cell grid coverage rate and 5G traffic ratio. This efficiently ensures low latency for users of services such as online courses, Shanghai QR Code, and healthcare cloud in residential areas.

For example, China Telecom Shanghai Branch has deployed 2.1 GHz 8T8R at about 500 sites. This has greatly improved 5G coverage in 205 residential areas and nearly 5,000 buildings. The apartment complex Jianhe Jiayuan is a good example. It covers an area of more than 70,000 square meters, with 26 residential buildings. After 2.1 GHz 8T8R was deployed, the 5G coverage rate increased from 68.6% to 91.6%, basically achieving full 5G coverage without blind spots. In addition, due to the improved 5G coverage throughout the entire deployment area, the network traffic in the area has also been increasing rapidly. After the deployment, the average daily traffic increased by 33%, and 5G traffic increased by 52%. The payback period has been shortened to 22 months, yielding a significant increase in ROI.

In many urban areas, residential compounds interlink with business districts. A large number of users watch TV programs and live videos at home, and perform mobile payment and commercial livestreaming in business districts. This requires optimal 5G network bandwidth and latency. However, in these types of densely-populated core urban areas, in-depth 5G coverage is a challenge. 4G loads are heavy because of the low 5G traffic ratio. What’s worse, it is hard for carriers to build new sites.

China Telecom Anhui Branch has actively responded to these issues. The area enclosed by Yangtze River West Road, Hezuohua Road, Kuanghe, and West Second Ring Road in Hefei is about 10.6 square kilometers, with a total of 2,875 buildings. Many of these buildings suffered from weak network coverage, so China Telecom Anhui deployed 43 sites with 2.1 GHz 8T8R in the area, significantly improving network coverage. The number of weak-coverage buildings in the area was reduced by 1,364, and the weak coverage rate was reduced from 60% to 15%. The weak coverage rate in residential compounds in the area was reduced from 62% to 16%. Furthermore, the signal strength in indoor deep coverage areas was greatly improved, which means full 5G coverage without blind spots has basically been achieved. This provides better quality experiences for 5G users in the area for services such as TikTok videos, online courses, and healthcare cloud. Due to the much-improved 5G coverage throughout the entire deployment area, traffic in the area has also seen a sharp increase. In addition, the deployment of 2.1 GHz 8T8R, combined with the 3.5 GHz dual-layer network and FDD + TDD carrier aggregation, helps increase the coverage of 3.5 GHz frequency band by a maximum of 8 dB. Data analysis revealed that the average daily 5G traffic increased by a staggering 34.5%. The 5G traffic ratio increased by 6%, reaching 54.6%.

In rural areas, although China has been carrying out rural revitalization and constructing smart villages, it is still difficult for carriers to balance network coverage and O&M costs, because rural areas are sparsely populated. In many rural areas, the distance between base stations is large, and contiguous coverage of 2.1 GHz 4T antenna cannot be achieved.

Tackling this challenge, China Telecom Hubei Branch has explored new technologies and built 150 co-sites using the 2.1 GHz 8T8R technology with LTE in rural areas of Wuhan. China Telecom Hubei has deployed 2.1 GHz 8T8R sites on a large scale in rural areas of Wuhan, in the districts of Huangpi, Xinzhou, and Dongxihu, and the average inter-site distance in the area is 2.7 kilometers. This significantly improved 5G coverage. For example, the 5G coverage area of counties and towns in Xinzhou District was expanded by 65.8%, fully meeting the digital transformation needs of farming, fisheries, and forestry. The network traffic in the area is also increasing rapidly. After the deployment, the 5G traffic ratio increased by 10%, the camping ratio increased by 20%, and 5G traffic volume increased by 64%. The deployment results show that 2.1 GHz 8T8R can effectively accelerate the digital transformation of rural areas and enable rural revitalization. As for the ROI of carriers, the price difference between investing in 8T8R and 4T4R can be recovered within three years, significantly improving the investment efficiency of rural areas.

High-speed rail passengers often have poor 5G network experiences when their trains reach high speeds. It is difficult for carriers to provide continuous 5G coverage with an uplink rate of more than 2 Mbit/s along high-speed rail lines.

To fix this issue, China Telecom Hunan Branch deployed the first 5G network in the Hengyang section of the Beijing-Guangzhou line. Using the 2.1 GHz 8T8R solution, the 5G network supports continuous coverage between sites with large distances between them. 8T8R provides an uplink cell-edge rate of over 5 Mbit/s, an average downlink user-perceived rate of 92 Mbit/s, and a cell-edge rate of over 50 Mbit/s. This means passengers can now have HD video calls and remote conferences on high-speed trains. A comparison test between the 2.1 GHz 4T4R and 2.1 GHz 8T8R solutions shows that the latter increases the average uplink user-perceived rate by 31% (a more than seven-fold increase in the corresponding cell-edge rate), the average downlink user-perceived rate by 17% (a 53% increase in the corresponding cell-edge rate), and the average coverage by about 5 dB. The 8T8R solution has greatly improved the continuity of network coverage along high-speed railways and has enabled superior 5G experiences for passengers.

The 2.1 GHz 8T8R solution deployed by China Telecom Jiangxi Branch in the Yingtan section of the Shanghai-Kunming line has increased the average downlink rate along this section by 21.6%, the downlink cell-edge rate by 82.6%, the average uplink rate by 50%, and the uplink cell-edge rate by more than 100%. Relative to 4T, the 2.1 GHz 8T8R solution increases the 5G traffic ratio along railway sections by 13%, greatly improving network performance and fully utilizing the network capacity.

In maritime areas, network access is required by large numbers of fishermen and crew members. To realize the high-quality development of the ocean economy, carriers need to expand 5G deployment in maritime areas. However, figuring out how to implement maritime 5G deployment is a great challenge for carriers.

In July 2022, China Telecom successfully deployed the 2.1 GHz 8T8R solution in the maritime areas of the Fujian province. By the end of 2022, nearly 90 5G sites have been deployed in the coastal areas of Zhangzhou, Fujian. This has worked wonders for the maritime use of 5G by fishermen, increased the number of maritime 5G users by a factor of eight, and resulted in a 6.5 times increase in 5G traffic. In addition, the deployment of 8T has enabled an increase in the 5G traffic ratio, from 13.43% to 53.40%. This solution meets the network experience and entertainment needs of the residents living around fish farms, as well as people on fishing boats and cruise ships. It also facilitates a wealth of diverse services such as maritime livestreaming, video watching, and HD calling, and has invigorated live commerce. What’s more, 8T8R provides a 5G network foundation for carriers’ 2B services, including maritime wind power, remote O&M, maritime video surveillance, and unmanned ship inspection.

Non-stop development: 2.1 GHz 8T8R improves network quality and enables a positive 5G business feedback loop

2.1 GHz 8T8R not only covers every corner of life, but also helps carriers greatly improve network quality, enabling a positive 5G business feedback loop. The preceding success stories show how 2.1 GHz 8T8R can help build a 5G network with wide coverage, superior user experiences, and great traffic; increase carrier revenue from traffic with higher ROI; and promote 5G business success. To sum up, 2.1 GHz 8T8R is a cost-effective investment solution that generates a multitude of benefits for carriers:

First, wider network coverage. From our success stories, we saw that 2.1 GHz 8T8R helps carriers improve network coverage.

The 2.1 GHz 8T8R solution deployed by China Telecom Shanghai Branch has reduced the number of weak-coverage buildings by 58% and provides stronger coverage in 10% of the areas relative to the 4G network. The same solution deployed in urban areas in Anhui has increased the coverage rate by 32% and reduced the number of weak-coverage buildings by 75%. After China Telecom Hubei Branch deployed 2.1 GHz 8T8R in rural areas, the 5G coverage area increased by 65.8%. In Jiangxi, China Telecom utilized existing 4G base stations along high-speed railways to deploy 2.1 GHz 8T8R, increasing the average coverage by 4 dB and the coverage rate along Fuxing lines by 9%. After China Telecom deployed 2.1 GHz 8T8R on the seas of Fujian, the average coverage distance increased to 28.1 km and the maximum coverage distance shot up to 80 km.

Second, better network experiences. 2.1 GHz 8T8R greatly improves the 5G network experience provided by carriers. Here are some examples: It helps China Telecom Shanghai Branch provide megabit-level downlink user-perceived rates, reduce the number of areas with a low uplink rate by 39%, and improve the downlink and uplink cell-edge rates by 46% and 300%, respectively. This solution also helps China Telecom Anhui Branch reduce the proportion of weak-coverage areas from 60% to 15%, and China Telecom Fujian Branch realize an average downlink rate of 227 Mbit/s at communication terminals.

Third, increased network traffic. 2.1 GHz 8T8R not only improves user experiences, it accelerates the growth of 5G traffic. For example, this solution has helped China Telecom Anhui Branch increase the average daily 5G traffic by 34.5%, with a 6% increase in the 5G traffic ratio. In Hubei, it has enabled China Telecom to increase the 5G traffic ratio by 10%, the 5G camping ratio by 20%, and the 5G traffic volume by 64%. Thanks to this solution, China Telecom has been able to expand the 5G traffic volume on the seas of Fujian by six times and increase the 5G traffic ratio from 13.43% to 53.40%.

Last but not least, stronger competitiveness and a positive 5G business feedback loop. In terms of competitiveness, 2.1 GHz 8T8R enables carriers to deliver better uplink and downlink network experiences than competitors while ensuring the same indoor coverage.

As mentioned earlier, carriers in different areas are actively deploying the 8T8R technology to shorten the payback period and increase the revenue at each site to gain more profits and create a positive 5G business feedback loop.

Conclusion: 2.1 GHz 8T8R is a powerful solution for carriers to improve 5G experiences

The construction of Digital China is accelerating, and digitalization has been extended to every aspect of our lives. However, to enable consumers to enjoy the convenience of digitalization, carriers need to pay more attention to improving network coverage and experiences.

In this process, carriers must actively embrace new technologies to strengthen the foundations of 5G networks. 2.1 GHz 8T8R is one such technology. It has seen wide deployment in 2022 and has proven to be a powerful competitive tool for carriers in the 5G era.

At the same time, 2.1 GHz 8T8R is now highly developed in every aspect, including standards, technology maturity, networks, spectrums, and communication terminals.

As a key standard, the 3GPP protocol fully considers multi-antenna terminals and enhances their capabilities in each version update. For example, the terminal complexity is reduced in R17. The phase information between the uplink and downlink frequency bands of base stations is used to test the channel status of a terminal.

In addition, 2.1 GHz 8T8R has adopted multiple leading technologies and will integrate high-precision coding into the 5G R18 version. This means that 5G FDD base stations will need to use the 8T8R antenna technology. At the same time, 3GPP R15 and R16 in the 5G era have greatly improved technology performance to support 2.1 GHz large-bandwidth 2CC CA. 3GPP R17 and R18 will further drive the evolution of FDD Massive MIMO.

For terminals, such as smartphones, four receive (4R) antennas can unleash the capabilities of 2.1 GHz 8T8R base stations. 4R is becoming an integral part of 5G mobile phones and can work with networks to maximize the value of the multi-antenna technology.

Finally, the 8T8R solution supports smooth evolution to 5G through software configuration, in addition to meeting the requirements of multi-sector 2G/3G/4G networking. This offers a better choice for carriers to build mobile networks.

The 8T8R solution has won many international awards, including the prestigious 2022 GSMA GLOMO award for Best Mobile Network Infrastructure. Huawei won this award for its FDD Gigaband ultra-broadband multi-antenna series that uses the 8T8R technology. It also won the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough award in 2023 for its FDD Beamforming series which also uses 8T8R. These awards reflect the industry’s recognition of Huawei’s FDD 8T8R ultra-wideband multi-antenna solution.

As 8T8R deployment continues at a breakneck pace, carriers will be able to build ubiquitous premium 5G networks and generate massive revenue through the use of 2.1 GHz 8T8R in the commercial market.