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Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (00:05):
Hi, I am Tony Poulos and with me today for some antenna talk is Aleksis Anterow, who is the CMO of Huawei Antenna. Hi Aleksis, and welcome. First up, could you give me some background to the role antennas playing today's networks?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (00:22):
Sure, I'm happy to do that. I would like to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of antennas in the modern network because antenna has the single unique role of making a wireless network. Wireless. The antenna is the component that connects the base station site with the physical world, the smartphones or the cars or whatever it makes the wireless network wireless.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (00:50):
And what key insights can you share with us regarding antennas and the role they are playing in intelligent networks?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (00:56):
That's a very interesting question because intelligence is of course a trendy topic and people might not intuitively think that antennas as a relationship to ai, but my view is that AI will actually be a very fundamental key characteristic with a strong link to antennas. So AI and antennas will naturally fit together and be needed together in the future. But before digging into the ai, I would maybe like to talk a bit on a higher level in the industry about today's situation. And right now, today, green is a very strong focus of antennas. I told you when the start, that antenna has a critical role to connect the base station with the smartphones. And green antennas help operators get more results with less resources, better performance, better connections with less energy consumption. So this is, I would say today the strongest focus in the industry.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (02:01):
And what new key insights can you share with us regarding antennas and the role they play in intelligent networks?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (02:09):
That's a very interesting question because AI is obviously the key trend topic today, but people might not intuitively understand that antenna and AI has actually a very strong link together, will have a strong dependency on each other in the future. AI will be a central part of antennas in the future, but before moving to the future, maybe it's wise to look at where we stand today in terms of antennas. And today, green is really the key attention, I would say on antennas.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (02:46):
So what is the current state of green antennas in the mobile industry? Where are we at?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (02:50):
Green antenna or antenna as a very critical component in the network has actually been established the industry as a key enabler to make networks greener. And tens have a very central role in achieving green networks. And this can be seen on multiple levels. First of all, there is an operator alliance called n and N has provided a white paper called GFN Green Future Networks, where green antenna is actually one of the key recommendations for operators, how to make green energy efficient networks. And secondly, I meet operators, global leading operators on a daily basis in my work. And I can see with my own eyes that green antennas is really the main selection of operators today. It is the new baseline solution, I would say in networks because green antennas provide more results, more value with less resources. And the whole industry, all vendors are moving in that direction towards green antennas. Huawei, we are a pioneer. And our green antenna portfolio, I'm personally very excited to say this, but our green antennas were for the first time ever actually in the industry awarded by GSMA as the winner of the global best mobile network infrastructure. So in my view, this is really a key recognition of the important role antennas have in networks and the impact an antenna can have on the full network performance.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (04:30):
Well, we touched on the relationship between antennas and AI in the network, but can you tell me some more about that?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (04:37):
Sure, definitely. I talked first a little bit about green and that keeps being a very strong trend. So the question is how do we go from green to greener? What is the next step in the evolution? And right now, one topic that is very central and very critical is intelligence in networks and network intelligence will drive new requirements and new direction for antennas. At the same time, new antennas will enable, will become a fundament of network intelligence moving forward. So there is, let's say a cross synergy, a link between antennas and network intelligence. That's what I said in the start. AI antennas will be connected in the future. And right now we are in a point of time where 5.5 G is a key topic. So we have the standard there and we have the technology through AI coming together at the same time enabling things like native green networks, native intelligence moving forward.
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (05:44):
And from an operator perspective, these things can enable, as I mentioned, greener networks, higher performance in the networks, not only at one point of time in one location, but continuously in every point of time, in every scenario, and everything done in a very cost efficient, very smooth and fast manner. And to come back a little bit on what is the role of an antenna in the network antenna is you can say that it's like the hand in the network that reach out from the base station and touch the physical world. And in an intelligent network, you need to make sure that the hand points in the right direction, you reach out to touch what you want to touch. And to do that maybe you need the ice. So you can see the environment. And today's and antennas, they are blind devices that are static devices. Without getting too technical, a traditional antenna is once installed and then it's forgotten. You can say we need to upgrade the whole antenna portfolio. We need to create a new generation, we need to make antennas that can be agile, that can be dynamic, that can provide visibility. So to make a long story short, in the era of ai, in the era of network intelligence, we need to move to introduce the next generation of antennas from first generation antennas through green antennas. And now we need to introduce next generation.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (07:15):
And what direction will antenna renovation take over the next few years?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (07:20):
I think you can already imagine what the direction is. The direction will be related to 5.5 G drivers such as network intelligence, native green networks, antenna, in my opinion, will become really a part of the fundamental for the modern next generation networks that is being pioneered, being started to deploy only today. And to do that we need to introduce a concept. We can call it antenna digitalization. What do I mean by that? I mean that antenna need to go from a simple mechanical device, a static device, a blind device to something modern, agile and with sensing capabilities, et cetera. So I would like to highlight three things that are important, the three key points for the next generation antennas. The first one is sensing antenna need to have capabilities to provide information about where is it located, where is it pointing, what is environmental parameters such as the climate, for example, what are the physical environments? Things like metal bars, new buildings might obscure or block the connection from the antenna. So antenna needs to become visible and to come back to ai. AI is about big data, a lot of data inputs. And with this input you can build models or create something new.
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (08:51):
What we can talk about in networks corresponding part is digital twin. And in 5.5 G, we introduced something called run digital twin. And this antenna digitalization enables better, more accurate run digital twin models. So antenna can provide a better network virtualization. Secondly, we need to have the possibilities to remotely control antennas. You need to be able to move the hands as a metaphor in the network to make sure that the antenna points in the most useful direction, not only at one point of time, but dynamically, continuously. This is something that, for example, through AI or automation should be possible for the operator to automate. So we always at any point of time, in any location, get the best performance. And if I then look a little bit more into the future, the next step could be things like reconfiguring the antenna. Let's say you have the hand pointing in the right direction, but you need the right tool for each situation. You need to change the tool. Maybe the corresponding metaphor in antennas is that you need to change the pattern. For example, you need to go from a wide coverage to a very narrow coverage, maybe from a horizontal to a vertical. And this agility in the antennas enables operators to very efficiently automated with intelligence tailored antenna solutions for every single scenario. It brings modern agile networks with a significantly higher level of performance.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (10:27):
So Aleksis, so there are any final key takeaways you'd like to share with us?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (10:32):
Certainly. And to make a complex story simple, if you should only remember one thing out of this, talk about antennas and future network. It is antenna digitalization. Antenna digitalization will be the key to unlock the full potential of future network intelligence. And this will require a new generation of antenna solutions. So essentially today we are opening up a new chapter in antenna evolution moving forward. And this is task and opportunity not only for us but for the whole industry, I think to elevate network functionality in the future.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (11:13):
Well, I keep thinking that we've overlooked antennas for a long time. We're always talking about the network as a whole. So I really appreciate the time you spent with me today and letting me know more about antennas and what we are looking forward to in innovation in the future. Aleksis, thank you very much.
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (11:28):
Thanks a lot. It was indeed a pleasure talking with you.
Hi, I am Tony Poulos and with me today for some antenna talk is Aleksis Anterow, who is the CMO of Huawei Antenna. Hi Aleksis, and welcome. First up, could you give me some background to the role antennas playing today's networks?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (00:22):
Sure, I'm happy to do that. I would like to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of antennas in the modern network because antenna has the single unique role of making a wireless network. Wireless. The antenna is the component that connects the base station site with the physical world, the smartphones or the cars or whatever it makes the wireless network wireless.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (00:50):
And what key insights can you share with us regarding antennas and the role they are playing in intelligent networks?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (00:56):
That's a very interesting question because intelligence is of course a trendy topic and people might not intuitively think that antennas as a relationship to ai, but my view is that AI will actually be a very fundamental key characteristic with a strong link to antennas. So AI and antennas will naturally fit together and be needed together in the future. But before digging into the ai, I would maybe like to talk a bit on a higher level in the industry about today's situation. And right now, today, green is a very strong focus of antennas. I told you when the start, that antenna has a critical role to connect the base station with the smartphones. And green antennas help operators get more results with less resources, better performance, better connections with less energy consumption. So this is, I would say today the strongest focus in the industry.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (02:01):
And what new key insights can you share with us regarding antennas and the role they play in intelligent networks?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (02:09):
That's a very interesting question because AI is obviously the key trend topic today, but people might not intuitively understand that antenna and AI has actually a very strong link together, will have a strong dependency on each other in the future. AI will be a central part of antennas in the future, but before moving to the future, maybe it's wise to look at where we stand today in terms of antennas. And today, green is really the key attention, I would say on antennas.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (02:46):
So what is the current state of green antennas in the mobile industry? Where are we at?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (02:50):
Green antenna or antenna as a very critical component in the network has actually been established the industry as a key enabler to make networks greener. And tens have a very central role in achieving green networks. And this can be seen on multiple levels. First of all, there is an operator alliance called n and N has provided a white paper called GFN Green Future Networks, where green antenna is actually one of the key recommendations for operators, how to make green energy efficient networks. And secondly, I meet operators, global leading operators on a daily basis in my work. And I can see with my own eyes that green antennas is really the main selection of operators today. It is the new baseline solution, I would say in networks because green antennas provide more results, more value with less resources. And the whole industry, all vendors are moving in that direction towards green antennas. Huawei, we are a pioneer. And our green antenna portfolio, I'm personally very excited to say this, but our green antennas were for the first time ever actually in the industry awarded by GSMA as the winner of the global best mobile network infrastructure. So in my view, this is really a key recognition of the important role antennas have in networks and the impact an antenna can have on the full network performance.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (04:30):
Well, we touched on the relationship between antennas and AI in the network, but can you tell me some more about that?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (04:37):
Sure, definitely. I talked first a little bit about green and that keeps being a very strong trend. So the question is how do we go from green to greener? What is the next step in the evolution? And right now, one topic that is very central and very critical is intelligence in networks and network intelligence will drive new requirements and new direction for antennas. At the same time, new antennas will enable, will become a fundament of network intelligence moving forward. So there is, let's say a cross synergy, a link between antennas and network intelligence. That's what I said in the start. AI antennas will be connected in the future. And right now we are in a point of time where 5.5 G is a key topic. So we have the standard there and we have the technology through AI coming together at the same time enabling things like native green networks, native intelligence moving forward.
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (05:44):
And from an operator perspective, these things can enable, as I mentioned, greener networks, higher performance in the networks, not only at one point of time in one location, but continuously in every point of time, in every scenario, and everything done in a very cost efficient, very smooth and fast manner. And to come back a little bit on what is the role of an antenna in the network antenna is you can say that it's like the hand in the network that reach out from the base station and touch the physical world. And in an intelligent network, you need to make sure that the hand points in the right direction, you reach out to touch what you want to touch. And to do that maybe you need the ice. So you can see the environment. And today's and antennas, they are blind devices that are static devices. Without getting too technical, a traditional antenna is once installed and then it's forgotten. You can say we need to upgrade the whole antenna portfolio. We need to create a new generation, we need to make antennas that can be agile, that can be dynamic, that can provide visibility. So to make a long story short, in the era of ai, in the era of network intelligence, we need to move to introduce the next generation of antennas from first generation antennas through green antennas. And now we need to introduce next generation.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (07:15):
And what direction will antenna renovation take over the next few years?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (07:20):
I think you can already imagine what the direction is. The direction will be related to 5.5 G drivers such as network intelligence, native green networks, antenna, in my opinion, will become really a part of the fundamental for the modern next generation networks that is being pioneered, being started to deploy only today. And to do that we need to introduce a concept. We can call it antenna digitalization. What do I mean by that? I mean that antenna need to go from a simple mechanical device, a static device, a blind device to something modern, agile and with sensing capabilities, et cetera. So I would like to highlight three things that are important, the three key points for the next generation antennas. The first one is sensing antenna need to have capabilities to provide information about where is it located, where is it pointing, what is environmental parameters such as the climate, for example, what are the physical environments? Things like metal bars, new buildings might obscure or block the connection from the antenna. So antenna needs to become visible and to come back to ai. AI is about big data, a lot of data inputs. And with this input you can build models or create something new.
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (08:51):
What we can talk about in networks corresponding part is digital twin. And in 5.5 G, we introduced something called run digital twin. And this antenna digitalization enables better, more accurate run digital twin models. So antenna can provide a better network virtualization. Secondly, we need to have the possibilities to remotely control antennas. You need to be able to move the hands as a metaphor in the network to make sure that the antenna points in the most useful direction, not only at one point of time, but dynamically, continuously. This is something that, for example, through AI or automation should be possible for the operator to automate. So we always at any point of time, in any location, get the best performance. And if I then look a little bit more into the future, the next step could be things like reconfiguring the antenna. Let's say you have the hand pointing in the right direction, but you need the right tool for each situation. You need to change the tool. Maybe the corresponding metaphor in antennas is that you need to change the pattern. For example, you need to go from a wide coverage to a very narrow coverage, maybe from a horizontal to a vertical. And this agility in the antennas enables operators to very efficiently automated with intelligence tailored antenna solutions for every single scenario. It brings modern agile networks with a significantly higher level of performance.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (10:27):
So Aleksis, so there are any final key takeaways you'd like to share with us?
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (10:32):
Certainly. And to make a complex story simple, if you should only remember one thing out of this, talk about antennas and future network. It is antenna digitalization. Antenna digitalization will be the key to unlock the full potential of future network intelligence. And this will require a new generation of antenna solutions. So essentially today we are opening up a new chapter in antenna evolution moving forward. And this is task and opportunity not only for us but for the whole industry, I think to elevate network functionality in the future.
Tony Poulos, TelecomTV (11:13):
Well, I keep thinking that we've overlooked antennas for a long time. We're always talking about the network as a whole. So I really appreciate the time you spent with me today and letting me know more about antennas and what we are looking forward to in innovation in the future. Aleksis, thank you very much.
Aleksis Anterow, Huawei Antenna (11:28):
Thanks a lot. It was indeed a pleasure talking with you.
Please note that video transcripts are provided for reference only – content may vary from the published video or contain inaccuracies.
Aleksis Anterow, CMO, Huawei Antenna
Aleksis Anterow, CMO of Huawei Antenna, sheds light on the role of antennas in intelligent networks, the current state of green antennas, and the relationship between antennas and AI in the direction of antenna innovation.
Recorded April 2024
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