Vodafone tests robotic mobile mast in Tirana for 4G and 5G

Vodafone Group is testing a mobile mast in Tirana, Albania, that uses an AI algorithm and a robotic arm to automatically adjust its radio antenna for 4G and 5G coverage. Vodafone said the trial site overlooks a shopping centre and shifts coverage between retail and residential areas as usage patterns change during the day.

The system combines AI-based network analysis with automated hardware movement. Vodafone said its algorithm assesses network demand and local conditions, then instructs an autonomous robotic arm from Humax Networks to rotate or tilt the antenna. Vodafone said the system can direct more signal outdoors in clear weather, increase indoor coverage during poor weather, and respond to local changes such as traffic congestion before demand peaks.

Vodafone said the antenna adjustment process takes around 20 to 30 minutes and is intended to improve energy efficiency. The operator said manual antenna reconfiguration can take days or weeks and may require planning approvals, site access, road closures, and physical engineering work. Vodafone said future versions will adjust internal antenna components instead of moving the full antenna unit, and that the trial is part of its broader effort to automate the radio access network, or RAN.