SBIR Phase II (COVID-19): Improved 5G Network Performance and Demand Prediction in a Virtually Connected World

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to ensure accessible, reliable, high-speed internet. Operators spend $350 B annually on network upgrades, but only an estimated 75% of this is effective. This project will help improve the efficiency of upgrades by providing hyper-local information about network demand as well as forecasting future needs. This can be applied both to upgrading current networks and deployment of future 5G networks, and it improves energy efficiency by aligning resources with needs. This technology will enable ongoing and improved operation in fields ranging from education, emergency responders, government work, and corporate activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated social distancing. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a novel prediction platform for efficient long-term planning of 4G and 5G mobile networks. This project will develop a platform that can accurately forecast network usage and behavior based on key performance indicators and external contextual data. The platform will provide accurate data regarding network demand at the micro-scale, localized by individual cell sites and frequency bands; this will enable better capacity optimization (i.e., when, where, how much). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.