SKT-Samsung Electronics optimizes the quality of 5G base stations with AI

• Development of AI technology that predicts the wireless environment using deep learning and automatically sets the optimal parameters
• Improve the perceived quality by maximizing the performance of the base station... Expanding and applying to places where traffic changes are frequent
• "An opportunity to accelerate the evolution of communication and AI technology into an AI-Native Network"

SK Telecom (CEO Yoo Young-sang, www.sktelecom.com) announced on the 28th that it will apply AI-based 5G base station quality optimization technology (AI-RAN Parameter Recommender) to commercial networks and upgrade the wireless network through cooperation with Samsung Electronics.

SKT and Samsung Electronics have been working year round to learn past mobile network operation experiences using AI and deep learning, and have recently completed the development of technology that automatically recommends optimal parameters (parameters, parameters) suitable for each base station environment.

In this process, the two companies systematically demonstrated the application of relevant AI technology to the SKT commercial network, and confirmed that the technology can enhance the quality of customer experience by bringing out the potential performance of 5G base stations.

Mobile communication base stations are affected by different wireless environments depending on the topographic factors and surrounding facilities. For the same reason, there may be a big difference in the quality of 5G mobile communication services in different regions that use the same standard of equipment.

Therefore, SKT used deep learning to analyze and learn the correlation between statistical data and AI operation parameters accumulated in the existing wireless network, predicting various wireless environments and service characteristics and succeeded in automatically deriving optimal parameters to improve perceived quality.

Samsung Electronics' 'Network Parameter Optimization AI Model' used in this demonstration streamlines the resources invested in the wireless network environment and performance optimization, and allows the mobile communication network, which is widely constructed in a cluster, to be managed in an optimal state.

The two companies are conducting additional learning and verification by diversifying the parameters applied to the optimized AI model and expanding them to the subway where the traffic pattern changes frequently.

SKT is promoting advanced technology by improving quality by automatically adjusting the output of the base station radio wave or resetting the allowed range of radio retransmission when the radio signal is weak or the data transmission error due to interference occurs.

In addition, we plan to expand the range of targets that can be optimized with AI, such as parameters related to beamforming*, and continue to increase the completeness of the technology by developing real-time application functions.

* Beamforming: A technique that strongly transmits and receives signals by focusing the signal received through the antenna in the direction of a specific receiver.

SKT is expanding and applying AI technology to various fields of communication networks such as 'Telco Edge AI', including improving the quality of base stations, network power reduction, spam blocking, and operation automation. In particular, AI-based network power saving technology was recently selected as an excellent technology at the world-renowned 'Network X Award 2024'.

Ryu Tak-gi, who is in charge of infrastructure technology at SK Telecom, said, "It is meaningful as a result that confirms that the potential performance of individual base stations can be maximized by incorporating AI," and emphasized, "We will spur the evolution of an AI-Native Network that provides a differentiated customer experience through the convergence of communication and AI technology."

Choi Seong-hyun, head of the advance development team of Samsung Electronics Network Division, said, "AI is a key technology for innovation in various industries and plays a decisive role in the evolution of the next-generation network," and "Samsung Electronics will continue to take the lead in the development of intelligent and automation technology for the next generation of AI-based networks."