Distributed FD-MIMO (D-FD-MIMO): from Concept to Field Test

This paper presents the next evolution of FD-MIMO technology for beyond 5G, where antennas of the FD-MIMO system are placed in a distributed manner. This system, referred to as Distributed FD-MIMO (D-FD-MIMO) system, is capable of providing higher cell average throughput as well as more uniform user experience compared to the conventional FD-MIMO system. System level simulations results show that the proposed D-FD-MIMO system achieves 1.4 – 2 times cell average throughput gain compared to the FD-MIMO system. A proof of concept (PoC) system, which is developed for D-FD-MIMO, is presented. The UE assisted over-the-air (OTA) calibration, which is the most important process of D-FD-MIMO, is discussed. Finally, the field test results are presented.