MIMO – What It Is & How It Works

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is a radio technology that can improve data transfer rates. Without getting too technical, MIMO allows cellular networks to send multiple signals simultaneously while using a single block of frequency. Each signal travels a slightly different path through space, which minimizes the signals’ interference with one another.

MIMO is often described in terms of how many simultaneous data streams are possible. In a 2×2 MIMO system, a phone could send (or receive) two data streams at a time. A 4×4 MIMO system could handle four data streams at once.

A network operator might use 2×2 MIMO to send two different data streams simultaneously. Alternatively, the same 2×2 MIMO capabilities can be used to send identical data over two different paths. The information coming from the different paths could be combined to improve the reliability of the data transferred.