Active antenna system (AAS) capabilities for 5G systems: A field study of performance

Enhanced antenna technologies will be key enabling factors in the development of 5th-generation (5G) systems that will achieve significant improvements in system capacity. This paper presents a practical performance evaluation of an active antenna system (AAS) that can lead to high-capacity gain with vertical sectorization (VS). Active antennas have flexible radiation pattern control for adapting to changing situations in mobile networks. This study shows the capabilities of an AAS to improving cellular network capacity in a real High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network. The field trial results indicate that the AAS technology can offer 84.6% capacity gains in the downlink direction. Thus AAS technology is a promising development for 5G mobile cellular systems that demand more capacity.