LG Uplus is working to improve customer-perceived network quality and strengthen service competitiveness through the development of 6G technology.

LG Uplus announced on the 24th that it had developed frequency coverage expansion technology, which is key to implementing 6G mobile communication services, together with Pohang University of Science and Technology and Keysight, and successfully demonstrated it in a commercial environment.

The 'Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS)' developed by the research team of Professor Hong Won-bin of Pohang University of Science and Technology is a technology that expands frequency coverage in the terahertz band above 100 GHz, which is a candidate frequency band for 6G.

In 6G mobile communications, ultra-wide bandwidth frequencies ranging from hundreds of megahertz (MHz) to tens of gigahertz (GHz) are expected to be needed for specialized services such as holograms and XR. The terahertz (GHz) band, which has not been used until now, is also attracting attention as a candidate frequency.

Terahertz frequencies have a wide available bandwidth and are suitable for ultra-high speeds and large capacities, but they have the characteristic of having very short wavelengths. In environments where there are obstacles in the distance that radio waves reach (NLoS, Non-Line-of-Sight) or when signals come from outdoor base stations to indoors (O2I, Outdoor-to-Indoor), loss may occur and quality may deteriorate.

LG U+, Professor Hong Won-bin’s team, and Keysight Technologies have developed a new concept of a radio wave surface that can artificially reflect, absorb, and transmit terahertz-band radio waves. In nature, radio waves exhibit characteristics such as reflection, diffraction, refraction, and interference when they meet a medium, but this is the first case of artificially adjusting the characteristics of radio waves.

The three types of radio waves developed this time reflect, transmit, and absorb frequencies, respectively. △The reflection type re-forms the path of the radio waves in a different direction to transmit the radio waves to areas where the radio waves cannot normally reach, thereby expanding the radio wave reach distance. △The transmission type helps the radio waves reach by attenuating the reflection loss that occurs when the radio waves pass through glass during the path of the radio waves. △The absorption type converts the energy of the electromagnetic waves into heat energy and dissipates it, preventing the radio waves from reaching security facilities, etc.

This technology can minimize the loss of terahertz band radio waves and ultimately extend the radio transmission range. LG Uplus claimed, “Not only will it be possible to reduce costs when building 6G wireless communication infrastructure utilizing the terahertz band, but it can also improve service quality by utilizing it for existing 5G communication bands or various 6G candidate frequencies.”

Professor Hong Won-bin of Pohang University of Science and Technology said, “The newly developed 6G RIS technology is significant in that it enables the configuration of an efficient communication system by controlling the wireless communication radio wave environment for the first time in the world,” adding, “We will continue to secure technological superiority through various research and developments in the future.”

Meanwhile, LG U+ is focusing on developing technologies in three areas, including RIS: frequency expansion, service area expansion, and network expansion. These include research on improving frequency performance, satellite communication services, and verification of open LAN equipment linkage.

LG Uplus Network Advanced Development Manager Lee Sang-heon said, “We will continue to work to develop core network technologies that prepare for the future so that customers can experience improved service quality.”