Cell-free massive MIMO: distributed antenna, user-centric architecture

Beyond Cellular: Cell-Free Architecture

Cell-free massive MIMO eliminates traditional cell boundaries by distributing a large number of access points (APs) across a coverage area, all connected to a central processing unit via fronthaul. Every AP coherently serves every user, with no concept of cell edge — each user experiences center-of-cell quality. This contrasts with cellular massive MIMO where users at cell edges suffer from inter-cell interference. In cell-free systems, 100+ distributed APs might jointly serve 20-40 users, with precoding computed centrally to maximize per-user signal quality while suppressing inter-user…