Abstract: In fifth generation (5G) wireless cellular networks, milli-meter wave spectrum opens room for several potential improvements in throughput, reliability, latency, among other aspects. However, it also brings challenges, such as a higher influence of blockage which may significantly limit the coverage. In this context, network-controlled repeaters (NCRs) are network nodes with low complexity that represent a technique to overcome coverage problems. In this talk, we introduce the NCR concept and study its performance gains and deployment options. Particularly, presenting the main specifications of NCR as agreed in 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) Rel-18, we analyze different NCR deployments in an urban scenario and compare its performance with alternative deployments. As demonstrated, with a proper network planning and beamforming design, NCR is an attractive solution to cover blind spots the base stations may have.

Short-Bio: BEHROOZ MAKKI (Senior Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in communication engineering from the Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. He was a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Chalmers University of Technology from 2013 to 2017. He is currently working as a Senior Researcher with Ericsson Research, Gothenburg. He has coauthored more than 70 journal articles, more than 50 conference papers, and more than 150 patent applications. His current research interests include integrated access and backhaul, millimeter wave communications, wireless backhaul and free-space optical communication. Behrooz has been a member of multiple European Commission projects as well as various national and international research collaborations. He was a recipient of the IEEE Best Reviewer Award for IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS in 2018, the IEEE Best Editor Award for IEEE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS LETTERS in 2020, and the Best Paper Award in IEEE WCNPS in 2022 and IEEE SBrT2023 2023. He is also working as an Editor of IEEE Wireless Communications Letters, IEEE Communications Letters, IEEE Transactions on Communications, and IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.