Antenna Tilt Failure Detection and Estimation via Integrated Sensing and Communications

This paper addresses the critical sensitivity issue of narrow-beam communication systems to physical misalignments and exploits the potential of Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) technology to propose a sensor-free antenna tilt failure detection and estimation framework. The proposed methods utilize environmental static clutter as geometric anchors to monitor systematic gain shifts in clutter heat maps. The proposed methods are introduced for precise antenna tilt detection and estimation using the standard 5G NR frame structure and two different waveforms. Numerical results show the potential of the proposed framework to enable autonomous, self healing network maintenance without the need for external sensors.

Experimental Performances of mmWave RIS-assisted 5G-Advanced Wireless Deployments in Urban Environments

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) has emerged as a groundbreaking technology for 6G wireless communication networks, enabling cost-effective control over wireless propagation environment. By dynamically manipulating its codebook so as to deflect the direction of the reflected electromagnetic wave, RIS can achieve enhanced signal quality, extended coverage, and interference mitigation. This study presents experimental performance of ZTE Dynamic 2.0 RIS products through a series of real-world tests conducted on Turkcell's millimeter-wave (mmWave) testbed. The evaluation involves network coverage extension in urban areas, multi-user efficiency, and the integration of virtual reality technology to support immersive applications in next-generation 6G networks. Through a comprehensive measurement-based analysis, the performance of the RIS product is demonstrated, highlighting its potential to address critical challenges in mmWave communications and to enable advanced 6G use cases.

Fast Network Recovery from Large-Scale Disasters: A Resilient and Self-Organizing RAN Framework

Extreme natural phenomena are occurring more frequently everyday in the world, challenging, among others, the infrastructure of communication networks. For instance, the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye in early 2023 showcased that, although communications became an imminent priority, existing mobile communication systems fell short with the operational requirements of harsh disaster environments. In this article, we present a novel framework for robust, resilient, adaptive, and open source sixth generation (6G) radio access networks (Open6GRAN) that can provide uninterrupted communication services in the face of natural disasters and other disruptions. Advanced 6G technologies, such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), cell-free multiple-input-multiple-output, and joint communications and sensing with increasingly heterogeneous deployment, consisting of terrestrial and non-terrestrial nodes, are robustly integrated. We advocate that a key enabler to develop service and management orchestration with fast recovery capabilities will rely on an artificial-intelligence-based radio access network (RAN) controller. To support the emergency use case spanning a larger area, the integration of aerial and space segments with the terrestrial network promises a rapid and reliable response in the case of any disaster. A proof-of-concept that rapidly reconfigures an RIS for performance enhancement under an emergency scenario is presented and discussed.