Turkcell tests ISAC tech that lets 6G networks track human movement

Details: John Tanner; Category: Wireless Networks; 22 October 2026; 143 views

Turkcell revealed on Wednesday it has successfully field-tested integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) technology – a feature planned for 6G networks that enables mobile networks to detect and track human movement and density in coverage areas.

ISAC ISAC – which has been defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) within the framework of its IMT-2030 6G roadmap – uses AI to analyse changes in live 5G communication signals to generate information about human movement and intensity in the environment, which theoretically eliminates the need for cameras or video-based monitoring infrastructure.

Potential use cases include crowd management, indoor location and facility security for scenarios such as smart cities, autonomous systems, security and disaster management and industrial practices.

For the test, Turkcell deployed private 5G networks using Tiami Networks' PolyEdge solution in Istanbul Expo Center and Turkcell Küçükyalı Plaza. In both tests, the number of people at different intensity levels was determined with 90% accuracy by using C-band 5G signals. The position of a person in the environment was also estimated with a sensitivity of up to 3 meters, Turkcell said.

“The networks of the future will not only be infrastructures that provide high-speed and uninterrupted communication, but also turn into smart systems that can detect the environment they are in,” said Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör, Turkcell’s deputy GM for network technologies, in a statement. “We showed that we can also detect building entrances and exits related to human activity in real time in real field conditions.”

Güngör added that the ability of the network to detect human movement and density without the need for camera systems that record people's images “shows that technology has an important potential in terms of privacy-oriented use scenarios.”