Capacity Enhancement of Indoor 5G mmWave Communication by Beam Steering and Narrowing

Millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies are promising as carrier frequencies for fifth generation (5G) communication networks, because of its huge spectrum availability. However, mmWave signals are prone to higher free space path loss. With the advances made in antenna design and circuitry, it is possible to produce smaller antennas by combining even smaller antenna arrays together. Highly directive beams can then be formed and steered using antenna arrays, which can compensate for the increased path loss of mmWave signals. In this paper, the effectiveness of beam steering and narrowing is demonstrated for mmWave communication, in order to provide enhanced capacity, in an indoor communication environment.