Beamforming
Beamforming is a signal processing technique that uses multiple antenna elements to focus radio signals in specific directions rather than broadcasting omnidirectionally. It is essential at mmWave and terahertz frequencies where signals are highly directional. Modern 5G base stations use 64–256 antenna elements for precise beam steering, and 6G/7G will require even more sophisticated algorithms for sub-THz and THz beamforming.
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Related terms explained
Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) uses 64 or more antenna elements at the base station to serve multiple users simultaneously on the same frequency through spatial multiplexing. Each user receives a dedicated beam, dramatically increasing network capacity and spectral efficiency
Millimeter wave (mmWave) refers to radio frequencies between 24 and 100 GHz, characterized by short wavelengths (1–10 mm). In 5G, mmWave enables high-capacity urban hotspots with speeds exceeding 1 Gbps
Sub-terahertz frequencies (100–300 GHz) are candidate bands for 6G and 7G networks. They offer massive bandwidth — up to 10 GHz per channel — enabling multi-gigabit wireless links