AT&T, Ericsson demo 5G network sensing

• Integrated sensing is set to be one of the key use cases in the 6G era
• But AT&T and Ericsson show there’s no need to wait for the next cellular generation to put network sensing capabilities to good use

There’s a lot of excitement about the potential of 6G networks to enable Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) services in the future, but Ericsson and AT&T have noted there’s no need to wait for 6G to put sensing applications to work. 

The close partners demonstrated drone detection using advanced network sensing over a 5G network in authorized airspace around the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, “during one of the largest global sporting events in the world”, noted Ericsson in this announcement (the stadium has been used frequently during the ongoing FIFA World Cup tournament). The demo showed that “some of the capabilities people may think of as ‘6G’ can begin taking shape now through software, advanced radios and continued growth of 5G,” the partners noted. 

According to Ericsson, Massive MIMO radios were deployed on existing towers to create “a multi-static sensing configuration” for the demo. These radios were able to detect and locate multiple drones and track their movement, “illustrating how wireless infrastructure could help protect major venues, critical infrastructure and other key locations… This showed how advanced network features can be enabled using 5G capabilities as the industry momentum towards 6G standardization and subsequent deployment accelerates. Critically, the same underlying capabilities could support new levels of low altitude threat detection and tracking around major venues, public spaces and other complex environments,” noted Ericsson. 

During the demo, multiple drones flying at altitudes between 300 and 400 feet within the coverage area were “successfully detected, localized, and continuously tracked by the sensing technology,” according to Ericsson. “By combining observations from multiple synchronised sensing nodes, the technology provided enhanced detection reliability, improved positioning accuracy, and robust target tracking performance. The sensing technology generated real-time target metrics, including the drone's location, velocity, and elevation, enabling comprehensive tracking and monitoring throughout the flight path. The demonstration highlighted how existing network infrastructure can be transformed into a distributed sensing platform, enabling advanced applications such as drone detection without requiring additional standalone sensing technology,” the vendor added.

Yigal Elbaz, senior VP and Network CTO at AT&T, stated: “Integrated sensing is an important part of the road to 6G, and this work helps show how we can start bringing that future to life right now. By working with Ericsson, we are exploring how advanced wireless networks can add sensing capabilities to connectivity in ways that could support safer operations, smarter venues and stronger customer experiences, while creating a path to evolve these capabilities responsibly over time.” 

AT&T isn’t the only operator forging ahead with sensing applications using its existing infrastructure – in Europe, A1 (aka Telekom Austria) is “using its existing mobile infrastructure as a distributed sensing layer, enabling ground-based visibility of interference affecting satellite-based positioning and timing signals,” as we reported last week. 

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV