SK telecom announced on Feb. 22 that it has successfully completed the conceptual verification of AI-based wireless transmission and reception technology for future 6G mobile communications for base stations in cooperation with NTT DoCoMo, NTT, and Nokia Bell Lab.
The developed technology incorporates AI into wireless transmission and reception technology for base stations in preparation for the 6G era, when the convergence of telecommunications and AI is expected to be in full swing, and applies AI models commonly used in vision AI to demodulation transmission and reception technology for base stations.
The current system uses a separate control signal to measure the wireless environment during transmission and reception. But the AI-based demodulation, transmission, and reception technology minimizes the control signal load to boost frequency utilization efficiency.
The four companies conducted related experiments not only in a channel emulator environment at labs but also in actual over-the-air (OTA) environments. As a result of applying AI-based base station demodulation transmission and reception technology in laboratory environments, they confirmed an average speed improvement of more than 10 percent.
This development is part of SK telecom’s efforts to create new value by applying AI to all areas of its AI infrastructure including wireless transmission, reception, base station operation optimization and automation.
SK telecom has been collaborating with NTT DoCoMo on 6G since signing a strategic partnership with the Japanese telecommunications company in 2022, and this time, a four-company collaboration system, including NTT and Nokia Bell Lab, has been established to develop core 6G technologies.
SK telecom and NTT DoCoMo will jointly exhibit and demonstrate the results of the four-party collaboration including a 6G simulator at MWC24 in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 26.
“This development signals our cooperation with global operators and manufacturers to develop core 6G technologies and is an example of private sector cooperation among Korea, the United States, Japan, and Europe,” said Ryu Tak-ki, head of infrastructure technology at SK telecom. “As an AI company, SK telecom will continue research and development to apply AI to infrastructure which is the foundation of SK telecom.”