Bandung, Indonesia – November 21st, 2024 – The xG Research Center of Use Cases and Applications (“xG Research Center”) today announced a new research initiative focused on exploring the evolution of 5G towards 5.5G, also known as 5G-Advanced. This forward-looking research aims to contribute to the development of next-generation mobile networks  with enhanced performance, expanded capabilities, and the potential to unlock new applications and services.

5.5G: The Next Frontier in Mobile Communication

Building on the foundation of 5G, 5.5G aims to further enhance mobile networks across three main dimensions:

• Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB): Delivering even higher data speeds, increased capacity, and improved spectral efficiency to support demanding applications like high-resolution video streaming, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR).
• Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC): Pushing the boundaries of low latency and high reliability to enable mission-critical applications such as industrial automation, remote surgery, and autonomous vehicles.
• Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC): Expanding the network’s ability to connect a massive number of devices, paving the way for the Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, and other large-scale deployments.

Driving Innovation in 5.5G

The xG Research Center’s research will delve into innovative techniques to optimize resource allocation, improve spectral efficiency, and enhance network reliability in 5.5G networks. This includes:

• Advanced Antenna Technologies: Investigating the use of massive MIMO and beamforming to increase network capacity and coverage, enabling more users and devices to connect simultaneously.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Exploring the potential of AI and ML to optimize network performance, predict traffic patterns, and enable intelligent resource management.

Collaboration for Advancement

While commercial operators are already investing heavily in 5.5G research and development, the xG Research Center believes that academic research plays a vital role in driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of this evolving technology. By collaborating with industry partners and sharing research findings, the Center aims to contribute to the advancement of 5.5G and its successful deployment in Indonesia.

Benefits of 5.5G Evolution

The evolution towards 5.5G promises to bring significant benefits:

• Enhanced User Experiences: Enabling faster data speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity for a wider range of applications and services.
• New Applications and Services: Unlocking the potential for innovative applications in areas like healthcare, education, transportation, and entertainment.
• Increased Network Capacity: Supporting the growing number of connected devices and enabling the development of smart cities and IoT ecosystems.

About the xG Research Center

The xG Research Center is a leading research facility dedicated to exploring the vast potential of current and future mobile network technologies. Established through a dynamic partnership between the School of Engineering and Informatics at Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and PT Huawei Tech Investment, the Center focuses on developing innovative use cases and applications for 5G and beyond (xG), fostering collaboration between academia and industry to drive the advancement of mobile technology and its positive impact on society.