Korean tech giant Samsung has signed an MoU this month with KT Corporation (KT), South Korea’s dominant telco, to do joint R&D on communications technologies to improve 6G signal quality.
Under the agreement, the two companies will advance multi-antenna technologies to expand coverage across potential 6G frequency bands and explore AI integration in wireless communications to improve network stability and performance.
Samsung and KT have begun research into eXtreme multiple-input multiple-output (X-MIMO) — an ultra-high-density antenna technology designed to enhance 6G coverage and increase data transmission speeds.
The global telecommunications industry has identified the 7 GHz band (7.125–8.4 GHz) as a candidate frequency for 6G due to its favourable frequency characteristics and spectrum availability.
However, the 7 GHz band experiences significant signal path loss, and mitigating this loss is critical to achieving satisfactory communication coverage comparable to 5G.
Samsung and KT will research beamforming technology, a signal processing technique used in sensor arrays for directional signal transmission or reception.
The partners will also research multi-spatial transmission technology, which uses multiple beams to deliver data to several users simultaneously.
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According to Samsung, for X-MIMO systems operating in the 7 GHz band, more antennas will be used compared to 5G — requiring system architectures capable of efficiently managing ultra-high-density antennas.
The two companies say that they will also explore the convergence of telecommunications and AI to deliver an improved user experience, particularly in edge coverage areas.
They say AI can be used to predict and proactively respond to potential communication disruptions such as video streaming interruptions.
“We are committed to developing innovative 6G technologies that enhance both the operational efficiency of the 7GHz band and the overall user experience,” said Angelo Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center (ACRC), Samsung Research at Samsung Electronics.
“Our collaboration with KT will serve as a key foundation for advancing next-generation communications through reasonable, cost-effective investments.”
Jong-Sik Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Future Network Laboratory at KT said he expects the joint research with Samsung Electronics to secure next-generation network technologies that differentiate the quality of the user experience.
“We will further strengthen our efforts in developing core 6G technologies to lead future mobile communication innovations,” Lee said.