Reliance Jio is testing Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces, which it calls Smart Walls, to push 5G signals into buildings and other weak-coverage spots without adding new towers.
The work is part of Jio’s in-house 6G research. Jio has not announced trial results, a timeline or a commercial rollout. Details are based on TelecomTalk and VARIndia.
How Smart Walls work
Instead of transmitting a new signal, a smart wall panel reflects the existing signal from a tower and steers it towards areas where coverage is weak, such as inside buildings. This matters most for higher-frequency 5G bands, which carry more data but are easily blocked. Jio says its prototype uses less than 7 watts of power, a figure that has not been independently checked.
NTT Docomo and Japanese glass maker AGC reported a successful trial of a transparent metasurface in 2020, and Orange showed a similar prototype in France in 2022.
Jio also sells a separate commercial indoor small cell that combines 5G and Wi-Fi 6 radios in one unit for businesses. That is a product on sale; smart walls are still research.
Why it matters for mobile shops
Smart Walls are not something customers can buy. For weak indoor signal today, the usual fixes still apply, from Wi-Fi calling to asking the operator for help, as our guide to improving mobile signal at home explains. Signal boosters remain illegal for individuals in India, so shops should not sell them. Our 5G guide covers where each network stands.
Correction (October 26, 2026): An earlier version of this article suggested Smart Walls coverage had reached 500 million users. Jio is still testing the technology.
