Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Deployment in 5G and Beyond 5G Cellular Networks

The successful deployment of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) technology in cellular networks is highly dependent on the availability of existing frameworks to enable the integration and operation of RIS panels in real-world propagation environments, preferably with low standardisation impact. This paper identifies the suitability of the existing 5G-NR frameworks for channel estimation, link control and beam management. The authors address the challenges related to the control of RIS infrastructure in radio environments in which multiple cellular networks have been deployed. The impact of adjacent bands and RIS operation that includes inter-cell links of another network is also discussed. The wideband reflective properties of the RIS are considered non-separable amongst operators.