Why User-Centric Cell-Free Distributed MIMO Systems Will be the Disruptive 6G Technology

As fifth-generation wireless networks continue to be deployed globally, industry and academia are now exploring the technological advancements that will lead to the next generation of wireless communications. This article argues that the adoption of user-centric cell-free technologies, also known as distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), will be the key disruptive technology enabling a huge performance leap from the fifth to the sixth generation of wireless networks. To substantiate this claim, we present ten compelling reasons, encompassing both technical and economic perspectives, along with three prominent and strong technology trends that are likely to facilitate the advancement and swift deployment of user-centric cell-free distributed MIMO network architectures. The article is finally concluded with an outline of the standardization trajectory so far observed for cell-free systems.