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The study from the ICT environment at UiA calculates network traffic to ensure users get a stable 5G network.

(Illustration photo: Colourbox)

More traffic requires better wireless networks

A new study from UiA proposes a solution that provides wireless access to multiple users at the same time.

Sissel Eikeland Communications Adviser

Presented by: University of Agder

Published 15 March 2022 - 06:00

“We have looked at how to improve wireless access when many users connect to the network at the same time,” says Frank Li, professor at the Department of Information and Communication Technology at UiA.

Frank Li, professor at the Department of ICT at UiA.

The study was recently named the best research article in 2021 by the IEEE Communications Systems Integration and Modeling (CSIM) Technical Committee. The study was conducted at UiA’s Centre for Research-based Innovation in offshore mechatronics.

Frank Li points out that we are becoming increasingly dependent on smart gadgets that require wireless connectivity. The gadgets are also referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT).

“These devices communicate with each other, which means we are dependent on good wireless networks to give us the quality we need,” Li says.

Behind the study ‘Priority Enabled Grant-Free Access With Dynamic Slot Allocation for Heterogeneous mMTC Traffic in 5G NR Networks’ are Frank Li and PhD research fellow and first author, Thilina Weerasinghe, among others.

The goal has been to propose solutions that will provide a stable quality in the 5G network when smart gadgets are connected.

“5G networks are the latest networks that have been introduced, but there are still many Norwegian towns that do not use it. It will be available everywhere in a few years,” Li says.

However, the challenge is to ensure the new network works optimally as more and more devices such as refrigerators, lamps and vacuum cleaners have smart technology and get connected to the network.

Simulating the future

Thilina Weerasinghe is former PhD research fellow (2021) at UiA and first author of the article.

The researchers have calculated the amount of traffic there will be on the internet in the future. They have made simulations according to these calculations that show how smart technologies can work together in the new 5G network.

“In short, we propose a solution that improves the connection when several small gadgets or devices are connected to the 5G network at the same time. With our solution, the network will be more stable,” Li says.

First author Thilina Weerasinghe defended his thesis with the title ‘Enabling mMTC and URLLC in 5G: Initial Access, Traffic Prediction, and User Availability’ in 2021 at the Faculty of Engineering and Science at UiA.

The study, which received the award, was part of his doctoral thesis. Weerasinghe is employed at the University of Ruhuna in Sri Lanka.