From Static to Smart—How Digitalization Is Transforming Passive Antennas

Passive antennas, long seen as static elements of mobile network infrastructure, are being transformed by telco vendors into intelligent, adaptive assets through digitization. Huawei's Alpha antenna series represents a significant advancement in this area. Officially launched in September 2024 at the Global Antenna Technology & Industry Forum in Athens, Greece, and subsequently showcased at MWC25 Barcelona, the Alpha series features embedded sensor systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration capabilities, including Huawei’s proprietary Antenna Information Sensor Unit (AISU). This unit provides real-time visibility of critical parameters such as azimuth, downtilt, tilt error, and environmental alignment, traditionally requiring manual site inspections or often remaining unmonitored. Successful field trials in Shenzhen have already demonstrated a considerable increase in average daily traffic handled per base station, highlighting the performance advantages of digitization. While specific commercial deployment is still pending, the roadmap suggests that the Alpha series antennas are anticipated to become commercially available within the next year.

This development aligns with the growing focus among operators on optimizing network agility and automation as they prepare for 5G-Advanced and beyond. While Massive Multiple Input, Multiple Output (mMIMO) antennas are crucial in high-density urban areas, digitized passive antennas are expected to play a particularly vital role in regions like South America and Africa. These markets, projected to see substantial growth in passive antenna revenue with Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGRs) of 7.5% and 10.4%, respectively, up to 2029, often require more cost-effective network expansion strategies. For these areas, the enhanced performance and manageability offered by digitized passive antennas, without the significant Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) associated with widespread active hardware deployment, presents a compelling solution for improving network capacity and efficiency. The ability to remotely monitor and optimize antenna parameters, a key feature of Huawei's Alpha series, directly addresses the operational challenges often faced in these geographically diverse and sometimes infrastructure-limited regions. This capability allows for more efficient resource allocation and quicker response to changing network demands, ultimately supporting better service quality and a faster Return on Investment (ROI) for operators in these rapidly growing markets.

As mobile networks progress toward 5G-Advanced and eventually 6G, antenna infrastructure must move beyond static, manually configured hardware. Antenna digitization is paving the way for a new generation of intelligent passive antennas that deliver real-time data and support remote configurability, both of which are essential for enabling AI-driven, automated networks. Central to this shift are two foundational capabilities: manageability and multidimensional adjustability. Manageability refers to the antenna's ability to generate accurate, real-time information on parameters such as location, orientation, and configuration, allowing for the creation of digital twins that enhance network optimization. Multi-dimensional adjustability introduces the capacity to fine-tune both the direction and shape of antenna beams dynamically, improving coverage precision and adapting to changing traffic demands. Together, these capabilities mark a significant evolution in the role of passive antennas, transforming them from simple transmission elements into active contributors to a more adaptive and efficient Radio Access Network (RAN). Key innovations within Huawei’s Alpha antenna series and other digital antenna systems include:

• Antenna Information Sensor Unit (AISU): Solutions like Huawei’s AISU collect antenna-specific parameters such as tilt, azimuth, and height, transmitting data to network management systems for remote diagnostics and performance tuning. This reduces the need for on-site visits and enables more proactive maintenance strategies. Ericsson’s Antenna Integrated Radio (AIR) platform also incorporates similar diagnostics for remote visibility and optimization.
• Remote Electrical and Horizontal Beam Adjustment: While Remote Electrical Tilt (RET) technology adjusts vertical beams, new horizontal beam adjustment capabilities allow for dynamic steering of antenna beams in the horizontal plane, enhancing coverage accuracy and minimizing interference. This feature improves network efficiency, especially in dense urban areas.
• Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) Positioning for High-Precision Alignment: Dual Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers enable centimeter-level precision in location and azimuth data, allowing for accurate antenna alignment and seamless integration with digital twin models. Huawei and ZTE have demonstrated RTK-based solutions as part of their smart site strategies, aimed at reducing deployment errors and enhancing network modeling accuracy.
• Environmental Sensing for Site Health Monitoring: Sensors embedded within antenna structures are being developed to monitor factors such as temperature, moisture, and vibration. Huawei has identified this as part of the roadmap for its Alpha series, and while not yet broadly commercialized, similar concepts are being explored industry wide. These sensing capabilities could allow operators to detect structural or environmental anomalies early, supporting preventive maintenance and improving network resilience.
• Three-Dimensional (3D) Pattern Reconfiguration with Metamaterials: Metamaterials enable dynamic reshaping of radiation patterns by using Two-Dimensional (2D) Meta surfaces placed in front of the antenna array. This allows for real-time beam control and flexibility without requiring hardware redesigns, offering greater adaptability to changing network needs.
• AI-Powered Integration and Closed-Loop Automation: AI-driven controllers ingest real-time data from digital antennas to automatically fine-tune network parameters in response to changing conditions. With closed-loop automation, systems can self-optimize continuously to maintain efficiency and minimize interference. Nokia’s AVA 5G Cognitive Operations exemplifies this approach, using Machine Learning (ML) and automation to improve network performance and energy efficiency.

While Huawei’s progress in digitizing passive antennas is technically impressive, its impact remains constrained in Western markets due to persistent security concerns and regulatory barriers. This bifurcation has deeper implications for the global telecoms industry landscape. It raises the risk of a fragmented ecosystem where regional standards and technology paths diverge, making interoperability more complex and limiting the scale of benefits typically gained from unified infrastructure. At the same time, it highlights the critical importance of a diverse vendor ecosystem to avoid overdependence on any single supplier—especially one navigating geopolitical scrutiny. Huawei’s approach, with its emphasis on real-time sensing, remote control, and AI-powered optimization, offers a glimpse into what next-generation passive infrastructure can achieve in terms of network efficiency and operational automation. These advancements set a clear benchmark that other vendors will need to meet or exceed if they’re to stay competitive and address the growing demand for intelligent, adaptable networks.

Nevertheless, this is not a direction being pursued by Huawei alone. Ericsson’s integration of remote diagnostics into its AIR platform and ZTE’s development of RTK-based alignment solutions reflect a broader industry shift toward digitalized passive systems. The market is gradually moving toward smarter, software-integrated infrastructure, and vendors that fail to invest in this evolution risk being left behind. Despite the rise of active MIMO solutions, passive antennas remain a mainstay of mobile networks, particularly in scenarios where power efficiency, coverage consistency, and deployment simplicity take precedence. In many such cases, digitally enhanced passive systems can offer a more practical alternative, combining legacy strengths with modern intelligence. Success will depend on each vendor’s ability to deliver efficient, adaptable solutions that don’t lock operators into rigid, proprietary ecosystems. This is a moment for leading decisively by enabling the kind of intelligent, cost-effective infrastructure that will define the next generation of network deployment.