7 minute read
Research
Game CHANGER
Are you ready for the disruptor that is 5G?
We’re all acutely aware the world of work has changed irreparably over the past couple of years. Trends such as hybrid and homeworking with accompanying digital solutions like videoconferencing have accelerated massively. But there have been issues, as lag times and drop-outs have caused many a hiccup or miscommunication during online meetings and conferences.
The good news is these kinds of problems are about to be solved with the advent of the fifth generation global wireless standard – 5G. The technology promises to turbocharge the movement to connect everyone and everything in an increasingly hyperconnected world.
DIVERSE STRATEGIES
Those due a mobile phone upgrade have likely noted the increasing availability of 5G handsets. According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association, as of Q3 2021, over 500 5G smartphones had been announced. There are also plenty of real-world use studies being tested around the globe – everything from smart transport and city infrastructure to smart factories and offices.
Delving into some figures, mobile network operator association GSMA says by 2025, 5G networks are likely to cover one-third of the world’s population. In its 5G Technology, Market and Forecasts 2022-2032 report, research firm IDTechEx states that, by the end of 2021, almost 80 nations had either commercialised 5G or were conducting trials.
As reported by IDTechEx, in the absence of dominant US-based 5G telecom equipment suppliers, the Federal Communications Commission has been supporting OpenRAN development, with each operator holding a separate portion of the 5G spectrum. This means each deployment strategy is marginally different.
Verizon, for example, has made mmWave a priority, while T-Mobile has opted for low and mid-band expansion. AT&T and Verizon both have plans to roll out mid-band service with a goal to cover 100 million people this year.
China, on the other hand, is advocating for 5G national development. The country’s action plan extends to 2023 and includes increasing user penetration to above 40%, raising network access traffic to over 50%, and pushing penetration in big enterprises to more than 35%. Simultaneously, telecom operators in China are working together to build a shared 5G network infrastructure.
In December, the European Commission adopted its first Work Programme for the digital section of the Connecting Europe Facility that will receive in excess of €1 billion ($1.1 billion) in funding from 2021-2023. Aims include ensuring each EU household has gigabit connectivity and all populated areas are covered by 5G by 2030.
At the time, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton commented: “Secure and fast connectivity is the pillar on which we will build Europe’s Digital Decade. It will give Europeans access to digital skills, let businesses innovate and support the availability of unprecedented applications in fields such as health, education and online public services.”
GETTING CONNECTED
According to analysts CCS Insight, 5G network connections globally are expected to double this year to 1.34 billion and are firmly on track to reach 3.6 billion by 2025, despite component shortages affecting the mobile phone market.
The analyst firm also identified two other drivers for 5G adoption – industrial cellular IoT devices and fixed wireless access. The latter remains niche for now, although CCS believes some network operators may soon target business users with the technology.
Looking further ahead, the Ericsson Mobility Report November 2021 predicts that, by 2027, 5G will be the dominant mobile access technology, representing 50% of all mobile subscriptions globally (4.4 billion) and carrying 62% of global smartphone traffic.
You may wonder why all this is important. Put simply, it’s not about faster online browsing via a smartphone – although this is a great bonus – but more about future market competitiveness.
In Deloitte’s Enterprises Building Their Future with 5G and Wi-Fi 6 report, 86% of networking executives surveyed believe these advanced wireless technologies will transform their company, and 79% said the same regarding their entire industry. Furthermore, 87% commented that leveraging the technology will produce a significant competitive advantage.
Deloitte noted that adopting 5G and wifi 6 is seen as a strategic necessity. The top benefits are: improving efficiency, enhancing security and taking advantage of new technologies such as edge computing, big data analytics and AI. 5G is far more than a simple mobile network upgrade. It offers much greater speed – potentially up to 100 times faster than 4G – with ultra-high bandwidth, better reliability and almost zero-latency connectivity. It will power smart cities
UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITIES
With the massive network capacity of 5G – connecting around one million devices per square kilometre – the IoT universe of applications, sensors and devices will present unprecedented manufacturing and business opportunities.
Benefits include increased efficiency and productivity, improved customer service and as yet undreamt of services, as well as lower costs. It will also herald a new era for the cloud through edge computing solutions.
With cybersecurity a considerable concern for many businesses, an additional advantage of 5G lies in its network slicing capabilities and its ability to enable employees to connect to their company’s private wireless network.
Ultimately, the upgraded mobile standard will aid hybrid working, untethering employees from a wifi router or fixed line. Users will enjoy superfast data transfer speeds and the ability to use several bandwidth-intensive applications at the same time on 5G-enabled devices, even in crowded spaces.
In its Preliminary Global Notebook PC Shipments and Market Share: Q3 2021 Results, Strategy Analytics expects sales of 5G-enabled notebook PCs to reach 14.3 million by 2025, representing 69% of the market.
Meanwhile, extended reality (XR) – incorporating virtual and augmented reality – could become very relevant for hybrid working, and be adapted for remote training, holographic conference calls and virtual sales showrooms, for example.
Indeed, the power of 5G is almost certain to be realised by remote workers first, especially if XR takes off rapidly as a viable collaborative tool for connecting work colleagues through immersive experiences, wherever they are.
GET READY
5G has the ability to impact just about everything: from the way we communicate and the introduction of entire new ranges of devices that run the workplace securely, to the products used to carry out our work, and even the design and fitout of the office environment as it becomes wireless.
Having said all this, while hailed as revolutionary, the rollout of the mobile network globally is still very much in its infancy. 5G will likely be utilised incrementally in the workplace as it becomes smarter and more connected through IoT.
Preparation is key. Getting ready for 5G now should provide those fast on the uptake with the first-mover advantage.
If you’re in any doubt about the impact it will have, remember it was only in late 2009 that 4G introduced the world to mobile broadband and provided the platform for m-commerce, Uber, FaceTime, Deliveroo, Instagram, TikTok, Netflix, etc. You get the picture.
The potential of 5G represents a leap far beyond this, helping to usher in the fourth industrial revolution where the possibilities are limitless. Edge computing: As the name suggests, edge computing means cloud applications and services being moved to the edge of a network, ie carried out at or very near to where the source of the data is being generated or consumed. This reduces latency, resulting in a better user experience.
Extended Reality: Extended Reality (XR) is a blanket term encompassing augmented (AR), virtual (VR) and mixed reality (MR) immersive technologies that blend real and virtual environments.
High-band network or millimeter wave (mmWave): The ultra-fast option associated with 5G (above 1 Gbps) is currently available in limited countries, but includes the US, China, Japan and South Korea. This spectrum offers plenty of bandwidth and operates above 26 GHz. The trade-off is its unreliability over long distances, and the signal can be interrupted by obstacles or walls.
Low-band network: Operates below 1 GHz and is traditionally used by mobile networks, broadcast TV and radio. Signals cover large distances and travel through walls, but the spectrum is crowded and offers comparatively lower speeds of up to 250 Mbps.
Mid-band network: This network covers the wireless (wifi, mobile, Bluetooth, etc) spectrum between 1 GHz to 6 GHz. Signals can achieve speeds of up to 1 Gbps with a wide geographic reach.
Network slicing: One huge benefit of 5G is network slicing, or the ability to create virtual networks on-demand over a shared network. It enables a mobile operator to reserve part of its network for a customer’s application, service or device with tailored performance and security functionalities.
OpenRAN or O-RAN: RAN stands for Radio Access Network and connects devices to the network through radio connections. OpenRAN refers to the creation of industrywide open standards that support interoperability between vendors’ equipment. The standards would also be open to software developers.
Wifi 6: The next generation wifi is known as wifi 6. While it does offer a speed boost – potentially up to 9.6 Gbps – the more important aspect is that it improves overall wireless performance in terms of connectivity and efficiency, which is especially vital as more devices are added to the network.
