Korean researchers have developed a next-generation mobile communication technology that enables devices to directly communicate, long range, without going through a base station. The solution allows direct communication between LTE devices, a world first, and was successfully demonstrated it in the company's mobile communication lab.

ETRI's technology was highlighted by the international standardization organization, 3GPP, as a stand out new-tech innovation last year and was praised for having a wider communication range than existing D2D technologies like near NFC, Blue Tooth and WiFi direct. Communication is also through walls and between terminals up to 1km distant from each other. Additionally, the speed of discovering adjacent terminals is unparalleled.

Creation of an innovative communication environment: Examples

If base stations are destroyed in a disaster or during war, communication will be possible. Other benefits are that battery consumption of terminals will be dramatically reduced, and in issues currently surrounding sharp increases of base station traffic will be alleviated.

Currently when a user visits a nearby café, they have to use location-based services online. However, if they use a terminal based on ETRI's technology, they can receive signals directly sent by the café, increasing the ease of using location based services.

If children leave an area predetermined by parents, this technology can easily allow tracking, to a radius of 1km without having to go through any additional SNS servers.

Dual connections are also possible. If a connected device leaves the communication range, it will be naturally switched over to communication through a base station.

Other Applications:

ETRI forecast that this technology would be applied to communication between vehicles, between robots and between games, crime prevention and emergency communication in case of a disaster.

According to Song Pyeong-joong, chief researcher, “The LTE D2D technology will be commercialized within the next three years and will lead a growth in the mobile service and device market. The range of applications will result in a huge range of amazing opportunities.”

Originally posted on ETNews