Domestic researchers have achieved results in developing 5G small cell SW technology.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 2nd that it held a meeting to review the achievements of research and development (R&D) in the field of telecommunication networks, including encouraging the winners of the Best Technology Award for 5G Small Cell Software (SW) with related organizations including the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP).

5G small cell technology refers to a small base station with a small communication range (cell) radius, and is used in shaded areas, densely populated urban areas, and inside buildings to supplement the communication range of existing base stations.

The 5G small cell SW that won the award this time is a technology developed by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and domestic company Ucast Co., Ltd. The government announced that it had invested a budget of 39.2 billion won since 2018.

Through this, it won the 'Small Cell Forum Industry Award', the best technology award in the 'Outstanding Commercial Small Cell Software and Service Technology' category, at the 'Small Cell World Summit' event held in London, England in May.

This project is a study on core technologies for developing 5G NR small cell base station commercial SW technology, intelligent open RAN technology, and improving user QoE (Quality Of Experience).

The research team reported that they achieved six cases of technology transfer to small and medium-sized enterprises and one commercialization result, including the world's first millimeter wave 5G service demonstration at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Stadium, installation of streetlights on Qualcomm's campus, and selection and commencement of a smart city project in Brazil.

The Ministry of Science and ICT said, “This award is especially meaningful in that it recognizes our technological prowess from the Small Cell Forum, the most authoritative organization in the small cell field with the participation of 76 of the world’s leading mobile carriers and telecommunications equipment manufacturers.”

Meanwhile, the telecommunications network sector meeting held on this day was a meeting held by Hong Jin-bae, Director of the Network Policy Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT, to review the results of research and development in the network sector.

Hong Jin-bae, Director of the Network Policy Office, said, “Following Korea’s recent assumption of the position as chairman of the RAN1 working group in 3GPP, the world’s largest mobile communications standards organization, and its winning of the Best Technology Award for 5G small cell technology, are the results of our achievements being recognized overseas as a result of the accumulation of wired and wireless network technologies, including 5G,” adding, “We will strive to continue to maintain our competitiveness as a digital infrastructure powerhouse by strengthening technological linkages and supporting commercialization transitions.”