The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) of India, the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and IIT Mandi will aim to develop cell-free 6G access points.
The project will focus on developing access points for potential 6G radio access networks. The institutions also want to contribute to the 6G standardisation activity, as India’s government has made clear its intention to become a leader in the next generation of mobile internet.
In traditional networks, areas are divided into different zones, called cells, each one served by an antenna. Some experts point out that this approach has some flaws, such as higher interference.
On the other hand, cell-free networks eliminate these boundaries by deploying several access points (APs) across a vast region to serve many user devices simultaneously. In this case, a single user may be supported by many APs. Advocators believe massive MIMO will be crucial for that to happen.
“The project also aims to drive commercialisation, generate intellectual property rights, and develop a skilled workforce to support the emerging 6G landscape,” C-DOT detailed in a press release.
6G Efforts
According to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the agreement was signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme. It has been designed to provide funding support to domestic companies, Indian startups, academia and R&D institutions in the telecommunications sector.
This is the latest of a series of announcements India has been making regarding the next generation of mobile internet. In 2023, the government launched the Bharat 6G Alliance, the country’s initiative to focus all 6G efforts under one umbrella.
Since then, the group has signed memorandums of understanding with North American Next G Alliance and European players such as 6G Flagship and the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association.
The government has also put efforts into augmenting India’s influence in standardisation bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Featured image by Fabian Horst/Creative Commons
