"5G development should learn from 3G's errors to ensure success"
The telecommunications industry is gearing up for a significant transformation with the emergence of 5G network technology. This collective response to the '1,000x' data challenge is poised to support emerging applications like augmented reality and the Internet of Things (IoT), necessitating network enhancements such as 5G Advanced (5.5G).
The new and integrated infrastructure of 5G represents a huge transformation for operators. Key requirements include high-speed data and low latency, network densification, advanced network management tools, cloud-native, software-defined architectures, and addressing environmental and energy consumption issues.
However, the transition to 5G is not without its challenges. Managing the sharp increase in energy consumption, balancing traffic load, incrementally upgrading existing networks, and workforce adjustments are among the major hurdles faced by the industry.
Major players in the 5G landscape include Ericsson, Huawei, and Nokia Networks. Ericsson, a leading 5G vendor in Europe and globally, is focusing on end-to-end 5G Core solutions, while Huawei continues as a key provider of comprehensive 5G infrastructure. Nokia Networks, also a prominent provider in the 5G Core market, has undergone significant headcount reduction.
Asia is setting the pace in the race to be first to deploy 5G, with local operators preparing for demonstrations at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan. The European Union's 5G Public-Private Partnership (5GPP) and flagship METIS research project aim to put the region at the forefront of global standard setting.
The industry's task is to produce the ultimate flexible, intelligent, and unified network for the next decade. The sub-1ms target for latency will be especially difficult to achieve in 5G. The annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona is focusing on 5G as a top priority this year.
The pre-competitive stage of 5G includes solving issues such as agreement on a global standard, interconnection arrangements, roaming, and ensuring performance across operator boundaries. 5G must integrate multiple air interface options needed for the low-throughput and ultra-low-power devices characteristic of the Internet of Things (IoT).
The potential funding gap could signal an opportunity for vertical industries to contribute in return for more direct influence. 5G investments need to fit with the carriers' roadmaps for introducing network functions virtualisation (NFV). Tier-1 telcos representing the Next Generation Mobile Network alliance (NGMN) have set out diverse needs essential for a fully mobile and connected society. Access capacity and massive densification are goals for networks to cope with growing volumes of machine chatter, video, and other data-centric lives.
Mission-critical services that involve the safety and security of people, property, and trade require levels of reliability and traffic prioritisation that do not exist today in 5G. 5G supports extreme low-latency use cases such as autonomous road vehicles, virtual and augmented reality, context-aware devices, and the 'tactile internet'.
Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange, cautioned for the need to time investment with the growth of IoT and described 4G as a 'tremendous success' in contrast to the 'industrial project' of 5G transformation. The industry should avoid repeating the experience of building consensus around 3G, which involved a delay of several years between the fanfare and the reality. 5G is more than an air-interface; it means thinking beyond connectivity to create a platform for innovation.
In conclusion, the transition to 5G network technology presents both opportunities and challenges for the telecommunications industry. The key lies in addressing these challenges effectively while leveraging the potential of this new technology to create a flexible, intelligent, and unified network for the next decade.
The telecommunications industry must address environmental and energy consumption issues as part of the transition to 5G, which necessitates high-speed data and low latency, network densification, and advanced network management tools. The potential funding gap for 5G networks could provide opportunities for vertical industries to contribute in exchange for more direct influence.
Major players in the 5G landscape such as Ericsson, Huawei, and Nokia Networks are developing end-to-end 5G Core solutions and comprehensive 5G infrastructure, while Asia is leading the race to be first to deploy 5G. The industry's goal is to create a platform for innovation, going beyond just connectivity, as highlighted by Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange.
