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Showing posts with label 5G. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5G. Show all posts

Saturday, December 3, 2022

12/03/2022 05:45:00 PM

5G will arrive at one billion endorsers this year

5G will arrive at one billion endorsers this year

5g-will-arrive-at-one-billion-endorsers-this-year


5G reception is presently far outperforming 4G

A new examination from Ericsson expects 5G memberships on cell phones to arrive at one billion toward the finish of 2022, with suppliers driving reception in spite of international and financial vulnerability.



By 2028, the quantity of 5G memberships will pass five billion, as per Ericsson's report(opens in new tab), which would represent more than half (55%) of every versatile membership.

Universally, 5G memberships purportedly became by 110 million during the second last quarter of 2022 to stretch around 870 million.

Where is 5G development?

Arising economies are set to be the absolute greatest drivers of development. China had the most net augmentations to the 5G client base in Q3 2022 with 15 million, trailed by Nigeria with 5,000,000, then, at that point, Indonesia with 4,000,000.

In 2028, it is projected that North America will have the most noteworthy 5G entrance at 91% of the populace, trailed by Western Europe at 88%.

How does this contrast with 4G?

5G reception is tremendously outperforming what 4G oversaw in a similar measure of time. It required seven years for 4G to hit one billion supporters in 2016, in the wake of sending off in 2009.

Ericsson credited this exhibition to the quick rollout of gadgets from a few merchants, which might have prompted costs falling quicker than on account of 4G, as well as China's "enormous, mid 5G organizations".

Interest for 4G is still a lot of fit as a fiddle, notwithstanding. Memberships for it keep on expanding according to the report, becoming by 41 million during Q3 2022 to around five billion.

Nonetheless, 4G memberships are projected to top at 5.2 billion toward the finish of 2022, preceding declining to around 3.6 billion toward the finish of 2028, "as endorsers move to 5G".



Interest in 3G, which was sent off way back in 2001, would give off an impression of being hanging on by a thread - during the last quarter alone, 3G memberships declined by 41 million.


Tuesday, October 25, 2022

10/25/2022 01:39:00 PM

What does the 5G rollout mean for Indian consumers?

What does the 5G rollout mean for Indian consumers? 

What does the 5G rollout mean for Indian consumers?


Ericsson's study has some answers

As the rollout of 5G is impending, there's wide anticipation of what it actually entails. Telecom results provider Ericsson has carried out a study, which is said to reflect the views of 300 million diurnal smartphone druggies in civic India', and it says that over 100 million druggies with 5G-ready smartphones wish to upgrade to a 5G subscription in 2023 while further than half of them are open to upgrading to an advanced data league plan in the coming 12 months. Over the once two times, India has witnessed a three-times increase in smartphone druggies who enjoy a 5G handset. 
 
The study report, named ‘ Promise of 5G ’ in India', carried out by Ericsson ConsumerLab, said the intention to upgrade to 5G in civic India is two times more advanced than their counterparts in requests like the UK and US where 5G has formerly been launched.
 
Videotape streaming & gaming assiduity set for better times 
  
The study said 5G network superiority could crop as a motorist for consumer fidelity with 59 of smartphone druggies intending to upgrade to 5G in the first 12 months. Within those who plan to upgrade to 5G, 36 plan to turn to the stylish provider of 5G network when it's available. It said 60 of early adopters who formerly have a 5G-able phone anticipate 5G to bring new innovative operations, which are considered more charming than better content. These druggies are indeed willing to pay a 45 decoration for a plan whisked with new experience handed their prospects are met, Ericsson added. 

As anticipated, gamers and those who watch streaming videotape have high prospects on 5G. It'll spark an increase in consumption of new format high-resolution videotape streaming and pall gaming." 7 in 10 of current smartphone druggies are looking forward to enhanced videotape streaming quality once they switch to 5G. 5G-ready druggies are formerly engaging in using further digital services compared to 4G druggies – 60 of 5G-ready druggies are formerly moment engaging with further than three digital services." 
 

The study tested 27 different 5G enhanced services with Indian consumers to reveal the top 10 services that Indian consumers wish for on their 5G plans. These include Health and Fitness, 360- degree live videotape streaming. pall gaming, 5G television Package, virtual meeting space, immersive education, stylish-seat event experience, interactive calling, position-grounded AR shopping, and VR shopping. 
 
Ericsson launches new 5G radios 

Jasmeet Sethi, Head of Ericsson ConsumerLab said" The transition to 5G provides an occasion for service providers in India to strengthen their position in the consumer request, with a focus on 5G quality and vacuity. further innovative gests need to be whisked to meet the prospects of early adopters to successfully monetize 5G." 
 
Ericsson also blazoned the preface ultra-lightweight Massive MIMO 32T32R radios as the stylish fit for India’s requirements – AIR 3219 and AIR 3268( Antenna Integrated Radio). These 5G radios, which will be produced in India, are energy effective and come with content-enhancing features similar to Uplink Booster that make them veritably applicable for a densely peopled country like India.

" These radios have been designed for 5Gmid-band Massive MIMO performance to deliver the benefits of deployment simplicity and bettered energy effectiveness. With their reduced weight, these Ericsson radios make installations easy on halls, rooftops, poles, and walls," the company said. 

Saturday, February 26, 2022

2/26/2022 02:47:00 PM

5G Cars: Audi wants your coming auto to be both a 5G mobile device and a vehicle

5G Cars: Audi wants your coming auto to be both a 5G mobile device and a vehicle

5G Cars: Audi wants your coming auto to be both a 5G mobile device and a vehicle

Verizon and Audi advertise 5G cooperation


Good old 3G is at the top of the news cycle these days, as it eventually fades into the evening.

Automakers sounded the alarm that the move would break all feathers of important-sounding functions in their vehicles, but so far many have proposed results. Audi and Verizon, still, are well down that path, as the two blazoned cooperation to integrate 5G tech into forthcoming models from the German automaker.

It's unclear when the services will make their way into a vehicle, but Verizon says it further than doubled its 5G deployment in 2021and notes that it plans to continue expanding aggressively going forward.

“ Audi motorists will be among the first in the world to witness a new generation of motorcars, one in which their auto is both a 5G mobile device and a vehicle,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business, in a press statement.

Mobile phones and connected bias got a huge speed boost when 4G debuted further than a dozen times agone, but 5G pledges to blow all of that out of the water and open a new world of connected services for buses. Audi says the technology will let passengers sluice and download hastily than ahead and notes that its vehicles will be streamlined via over-the-air software. The brisk pets also enable enhanced mapping capabilities with high-description and 3D displays. So, no further pinch-and-zoom trying to read the name of a road in a strange place.

Audi points out that 5G opens the door for better vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies in its vehicles. The cellular function lets vehicles communicate with each other and with near structure, which could help increase safety. It's also a stepping gravestone that enables further able independent vehicles, as they will bear strong and fast data connections to communicate and negotiate with the world around them.

“ Audi was the first automaker to bring by- vehicle Wi-Fi to guests as well as 4G LTE connectivity in the 2015 A3, and we will be among the first to bring the coming generation of connectivity to our guests in theU.S.,” said Filip Brabec, elderly VP, Product Planning, Audi of America in a press statement.

Now that indeed budget cellphones offer 5G connectivity, it's time for the automotive world to get on board. The Audi-Verizon cooperation will not be the last collaboration that we see, and the sweats will consolidate as further robust independent driving technologies are developed. Faster data transmission will be vital if we hope to have vehicles that can" understand" what is going on and make real-time opinions on how to navigate the live business. It's worth noting, still, that indeed with the aggressive development of 5G networks across theU.S., it's still not as wide as 4G is and 3G was in its fluorescence.

After working in the technology and software assiduity several times, Chris began writing as a way to help people outside of that world understand the occasionally veritably specialized work that goes on behind the scenes. With a lifelong love of all effects automotive, Chris turned his attention to writing new vehicle reviews, detailing assiduous trends, and breaking news. Along the way, he earned an MBA with a focus on data analysis that has helped him gain a strong understanding of why the bus assiduity’s biggest companies make the opinions they do.


Thursday, February 21, 2019

2/21/2019 10:20:00 PM

Vodafone "world-first" connects smartphones to 5G network

Vodafone connects handset in Barcelona ahead of MWC next week.


Vodafone has successfully connected three commercial smartphones to its 5G network in Spain, claiming a world-first in the process, ahead of a full launch in several major cities across Europe later in 2019.

The trials were held in the capital Madrid and in Barcelona, home of Mobile World Congress (MWC), using three 5G smartphones that will be unveiled at the show next week.

The network was fully compliant with the 3GPP Release-15 5G standard approved last December and achieved peak speeds of 1.5Gbps. Vodafone has built a 5G network across Barcelona and will drive a car around the city during MWC to confirm these speeds.


  • The best Vodafone deals in February 2019
  • Vodafone trials 5G in major UK cities
  • What is 5G?


Vodafone 5G

“Vodafone’s networks are increasingly ready for 5G, which will enable us to deliver significant benefits over time for consumers, businesses and society,” said Johan Wilberg, Vodafone Group CTO. “Our focus now is on optimizing the customer experience before we launch 5G in some European cities later this year.”

Vodafone has spent the past few years making its 4G network ‘5G-Ready’ by transforming its radio and core infrastructures and ensuring sites have enough backhaul. It has won some 5G spectrum in markets like the UK, while it is in the process of bidding for airwaves in others.

In Spain, it has 5G sites in six cities, while it has launched 5G trials in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester. In Italy and Spain, Vodafone is working with automotive, industrial and public sector organisations to build out the business applications for 5G.

Earlier this week, it opened a public trial at Manchester Airport.

No firm launch date has been given apart from the ‘second half’ of 2019. The first commercial 5G handsets are expected from a number of manufacturers, including LG, OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi.




READ MORE:

Sunday, July 15, 2018

7/15/2018 07:16:00 PM

What is 5G? Everything you need to know

What is 5G?


5G networks are the next generation of mobile internet connectivity, offering faster speeds and more reliable connections on smartphones and other devices than ever before.

Combining cutting-edge network technology and the very latest research, 5G should offer connections that are multitudes faster than current connections, with average download speeds of around 1GBps expected to soon be the norm.

The networks will help power a huge rise in the Internet of Things technology, providing the infrastructure needed to carry huge amounts of data, allowing for a smarter and more connected world.

With development well underway, 5G networks are expected to launch across the world by 2020, working alongside existing 3G and 4G technology to provide speedier connections that stay online no matter where you are.


WHEN WILL 5G LAUNCH?

- 5G technology is expected to officially launch across the world by 2020

- The US, China and South Korea are expected to be some of the first nations to install full 5G networks, with others including the UK not far behind

- Many companies are busy making sure their networks and devices are '5G ready' in time for 2020, meaning some networks may launch before then
5G - the latest news

10/07 - NETWORKS - China Mobile, Intel and Huawei complete 5G interoperability testing - Tests pave way for China Mobile 5G launch next year...

09/07 - NETWORKS - SSE Enterprise Telecoms unbundles BT exchanges to boost broadband and Three 5G - SSE Enterprise Telecoms doubles its reach...

03/07 - NETWORKS - Samsung, Cisco and Orange hold multi-vendor 5G FWA trial - FWA will deliver a fixed-like broadband experience when 5G launches...

29/06 - DEVICES - OnePlus 7 could support 5G and be sold by US carriers - But don't expect it for a while...

28/06 - NETWORKS - "World's first" 5G network launches - Finnish operator Elisa claims global first in launching a commercial 5G network...

27/06 - ANALYSIS - The World Cup and 5G: the trials you need to know about - 5G will change how you watch football forever...

25/06 - NETWORKS - UK 'needs shared spectrum' for 5G - Ofcom urged to rethink 5G spectrum auction to ensure fairer rollout...

20/06 - NETWORKS - Vodafone launches 5G trials in seven UK cities - Vodafone to hold trials later this year with plans for a 2020 5G launch...

19/06 - NETWORKS - Mobile signal woes 'strengthens' business case for 5G - Only half of mobile users in the UK are happy with their speeds, but willing to pay more for faster service...

15/06 - NETWORKS - First standalone 5G network standard approved - 3GPP finalizes 'Release 15' of 5G after three years of work, meaning networks are on the way this year...

14/06 - ANALYSIS - Three CEO: 5G capacity is a 'big opportunity' to lead UK market - Dave Dyson says Three's spectrum holdings mean it could be the UK's 5G leader...

13/06 - NETWORKS - Vodafone: 5G smartphone uncertainty means focus on core network and IoT - Vodafone UK CTO says 5G will be a gamechanger, but smartphone innovation in the 4G era won't be matched...

12/06 - NETWORKS - 5G networks still set to arrive this year - Ericsson report suggests Europe will fall behind US and Asia on 5G adoption...

11/06 - NETWORKS - 'First ever' UK 5G report paints rosy picture - UK's 5G ambitions rely heavily on startup and research community...

06/06 - ANALYSIS - EU telecoms rule changes will hinder rather than help 5G, claim industry - Telecoms groups label the new EU code a "missed opportunity"...

06/06 - NETWORKS - EE to switch on 'UK's first' 5G trial in London - Residents and businesses in Tech City will get chance to try out 5G...

05/06 - PRODUCTS - 5G PCs coming from Intel and Sprint next year - US telecoms giant Sprint has joined the race to bring 5G to the masses, announcing at Computex 2018 to start shipping Intel-powered 5G computers next year...

01/06 - ANALYSIS - 5G UK - How far away are we really? - 5G will deliver immediate benefits in 2019, but the true mobile revolution will take time...

25/05 - POLICY - Mobile industry 'shouldn't wait' for 5G to roll out small cells - Small cells will be essential for delivering the 5G vision but industry warns there is no time too wait...

25/05 - POLICY - Nordic Prime Ministers reach agreement to support 5G - Joint agreement is welcomed by Nokia, Ericsson and regional operators...

22/05 - NETWORKS - Qualcomm details 5G small cell platform - Qualcomm wants to help operators and network equipment manufacturers densify 5G networks...

18/05 - NETWORKS - Verizon to bring 5G to Los Angeles in 2018 - Verizon says America's second largest city will be its next 5G location...

16/05 - NETWORKS - Mobile IoT networks to be a 'core component' of 5G - GSMA says NB-IoT and LTE-M deployments are paving the way for massive IoT powered by 5G...

14/05 - NETWORKS - 5G and network convergence drives growth of carrier-grade Wi-Fi market - Fixed and mobile operators look to densify network infrastructure...

08/05 - PRODUCTS - Why self-driving vehicles could be the biggest winner in a 5G world - Telefónica tells us why autonomous vehicles are set to be a key 5G use case...

08/05 - NETWORKS - Verizon and Samsung get 5G regulatory boost - Verizon and Samsung make major headway towards 5G...

03/05 - NETWORKS - Deutsche Telekom holds live 5G NR trial in Berlin - German operator says test will see how 5G NR behaves in real world...

02/05 - ANALYSIS - Why T-Mobile and Sprint merger would give the US a 5G lead- A truly national 5G network could ensure the US retains its advantage...

01/05 - NETWORKS - Three futureproofs backend infrastructure for 5G - Three and SSE Enterprise Telecoms deal with start with data centre connectivity...

30/04 - NETWORKS - T-Mobile and Sprint merger promises 5G progress in the US- America's third and fourth largest mobile operators are to merge...

18/04 - NETWORKS - Huawei dampens 5G expectations - Huawei CEO says consumer might not notice the differences...

17/04 - NETWORKS - China has narrow lead over US in 5G race - Government support and industry momentum gives China slight advantage, report says...

16/04 - DEVICES - 5G anticipation set to slow smartphone sales - Manufacturers hope for 5G boost as worldwide smartphone demand slows...

13/04 - NETWORKS - What does the Ofcom 5G auction mean for the UK mobile industry? - The long-awaited auction is over, paving the way for 5G...so what next?

12/04 - NETWORKS - Vodafone hits major UK 5G milestone - Vodafone is first UK operator to test 3.4GHz spectrum in preparation for 5G...

09/04 - NETWORKS - Europe set be left behind in 5G race - US and Asia will lead the way in 5G development, claims report...

05/04 - NETWORKS - Mobile networks fork out £1.4bn for 5G spectrum - Ofcom publishes the results of its 5G spectrum auction, revealing that the UK's biggest mobile network operators spent almost £1.4 billion...

28/03 - NETWORKS - 'World's first' 5G public trial switched on in Australia - Australian telco Telstra flips the switch on the world's first public trial of 5G at the Gold Coast...

28/03 - NETWORKS - 5G RuralFirst looks at smart farming, spectrum sharing and broadcasting - Government funded project will use Cisco tech to help transform rural lives...

28/03 - POLICY - UK5G group makes bid for global 5G leadership - Government and industry backed UK5G looks to establish UK 5G community...

27/03 - NETWORKS - GSMA: 5G will be dominant mobile tech in USA by 2025 - Mobile industry body report shows US will be a 5G leader...

27/03 - NETWORKS - Telefonica tests tech that could boost 5G broadband - Telefonica spectral efficiency trials hope to pave the way for better fixed wireless access (FWA)... 


23/03 - NETWORKS - 5G networks are now just a year away - Korea Telecom plans commercial 5G launch next March...


20/03 - NETWORKS - UK 5G spectrum auction gets underway - Five bidders will battle it out for more of the UK's airwaves...

19/03 - NETWORKS - UK university makes major 5G breakthrough - University of Kent-based iCIRRUS consortium says Ethernet equipment can help deliver 5G networks...

16/03 - NETWORKS - O2 kickstarts the UK's 5G charm offensive to consumers - 5G hypetrain moves from industry into the mainstream...

15/03 - NETWORKS - Digital minister pledges to eliminate barriers to 5G deployment - Margot James says she wants to work with mobile operators and local government on 5G...

14/03 - NETWORKS - O2: 5G will save local councils and households £6bn a year - Report details how smart technologies powered by 5G can improve society...

12/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom 5G spectrum auction will start next week - Ofcom confirms that bidding for 5G frequencies will begin on 20 March...

12/03 - NETWORKS - Government reveals £25m prize fund for UK 5G - £25m competition will see 5G testbeds located across the UK...


11/03 - DEVICES - 5G a key factor to seamless VR experience, says Lenovo EMEA President - Lenovo wants to create memorable experiences for its customers, but is that enough?

09/03 - NETWORKS - Ofcom plans new rural coverage obligations for 700MHz spectrum - Ofcom says 700MHz is an important opportunity to improve rural coverage as it plans for 5G future...

05/03 - NETWORKS - EU Parliament and US Congress take steps to accelerate 5G legislation - EU chambers reach provisional agreement while US Congress to vote on spectrum auction...

05/03 - DEVICES - HTC CEO: 5G will turn any VR device into the most powerful in the world - Cher Wang says the smartphone still has a role to play in VR...

03/03 - NETWORKS - Qualcomm hopes 5G vision will stand out from the hype - Qualcomm's influence in the industry is significant, so its 5G roadmap is worth listening too...

02/03 - NETWORKS - BT CEO: EE convergence even more important ahead of 5G- Gavin Patterson says BT never really left mobile and is preparing for converged network era...

28/02 - NETWORKS - Intel and NTT DoCoMo prepare 5G plans for Tokyo 2020 Olympics - After success at PyeongChang 2018, Intel is stepping up plans for next Olympics...

27/02 - NETWORKS - Satellite-supported UK 5G testbed will trial mission critical apps - Juniper Networks and Satellite Applications Catapult say satellite cannot be ignored...

27/02 - MOBILE - Qualcomm looks to make it easier to make 5G phones - Launch will help OEMs build 5G connectivity into more devices...

27/02 - NETWORKS - Ofcom confirms six bidders for 5G spectrum - All four mobile operators have been approved, with small cell operator and Hull fixed wireless firm joining...

27/02 - NETWORKS - Ericsson tells operators: 5G is ready - Ericsson has agreements with 38 operators around the world as 5G moves from idea to reality...

27/02 - PRODUCTS - Get ready for a 5G Internet of the Sky - Drones like the Ehang 184 will usher in a 5G-powered autonomous airspace...


26/02 - NETWORKS - Telstra plans to ramp up 4G speeds in the lead up to its full 5G rollout - Major cities in Australia to get increased bandwidth...

26/02 - NETWORKS - Cisco targets mobile operators with '5G Now' - Cisco wants to help operators prepare for the next era of networks...

25/02 - MOBILE - Huawei reveals 5G-ready modem - Test beds for 5G networks will be launched this year, Huawei reveals...

23/02 - NETWORKS - Why PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics are a 5G milestone - Athletes are making history at the Winter Olympics, but it's an important event for 5G networks too...

22/02 - NETWORKS - O2 reveals UK 5G test bed - Operator will test 5G applications at iconic London venue later this year...

19/02 - NETWORKS - Vodafone and Huawei successfully test IP Microwave backhaul for 5G - Vodafone and Huawei achieve 2Gbps on IP microwave link, claiming it shows the tech is viable for 5G...

16/02 - NETWORKS - Why startups and research can make the UK a 5G leader - Does the UK really need to be first to the mark or be an industry powerhouse to be a 5G leader?

16/02 - OPINION - No time to waste now 5G legal challenges are over - For an industry keen to avoid a repeat of the 3G and 4G auctions, Three's failed appeal removes a barrier to 5G...

14/02 - MOBILE - Fiber-like internet and a glimpse of our 5G future are coming to smartphones in 2019 - Qualcomm's new mobile modem offering speeds of up to 2Gbps...

14/02 - NETWORKS - 5G spectrum auction to go ahead after Three's legal challenge fails - Three's bid to decrease an overall spectrum cap falls on deaf ears and prevents further delay...

12/02 - NETWORKS - China Mobile plans 5G launch in 2019 - China Mobile joins a select few number of operators planning to beat original 2020 target...

08/02 - MOBILE - The first 5G smartphones are coming in 2019 - But you won't see 5G service everywhere by next year...

07/02 - MOBILE - 5G set to push mobile data use sky-high - Giffgaff research estimates customers will use nearly 100GB of mobile data a month by 2025...

05/-2 - NETWORKS - Telstra joins Optus on 5G bandwagon, also aiming for 2019 rollout - Australian carrier Telstra will trial new tech during Commonwealth Games...

05/01 - NETWORKS - AT&T set to run 5G trials - Company to adopt new 3GPP guidelines as it continues push for next-generation networks...

04/01 - NETWORKS - Samsung teams up with Verizon on 5G - New service to be launched in Sacramento later this year...

02/02 - NETWORKS - Optus 5G network rollout set to begin in early 2019 - Australian telco Optus announces its plans for 5G rollout...

What will 5G networks mean for me?

  • What will 5G networks mean for me?
  • Faster download and upload speeds
  • Smoother streaming of online content 
  • Higher-quality voice and video calls 
  • More reliable mobile connections
  • The greater number of connected IoT devices 
  • An expansion of advanced technologies - including self-driving cars and smart cities

How fast will 5G be?

It’s still not exactly known how much faster 5G will be than 4G, as much of the technology is still under development.

That being said, the networks should provide a significant upgrade to current download and upload speeds - with the GSMA proposing minimum download speeds of around 1GBps.

Most estimates expect the average speed of 5G networks to reach 10Gb/s, and some even think transfer rates could reach a whopping 800Gb/s.

This would mean that users could download a full-length HD quality film in a matter of seconds and that downloading and installing software upgrades would be completed much faster than today.

Will I be able to get 5G networks on my phone?

Existing smartphones, tablet or other devices that were released when 4G networks were the standard may not be able to connect, to 5G to begin with or may incur extra costs to do so. 

However, following the 2020 deadline for the initial rollout, we should soon see devices coming with the 5G connection as default.

Don't worry though - although 5G should represent a major step up from current 4G and 3G networks, the new technology won’t immediately replace its predecessor - at least, not to begin with.

Instead, 5G should link in with existing networks to ensure users never lose connection, with the older networks acting as a back-up in areas not covered by the new 5G coverage.

So-called “4.5G” networks (also known as LTE-A) are set to fill the gap for the time being, offering connections that are faster than current 4G networks, although only certain countries such as South Korea can benefit from them right now.

Once launched however, implementing 5G may be a slower process. Much like the gradual takeover of 4G networks from the previous generation, existing network infrastructure may need to be upgraded or even replaced in order to deal with the new technology, and homes and businesses may also need to get new services installed.

It’s not yet known how 5G networks will take over from existing networks, but again, much like the rollout of 4G, you may not be able to immediately connect to the new networks without upgrading your technology.

What will a 5G network need?

  • The GSMA has outlined eight criteria for 5G networks, with a connection needing meet a majority of these in order to qualify as 5G:
  • 1-10Gbps connections to endpoints in the field (i.e. not theoretical maximum)
  • 1 millisecond end-to-end round trip delay (latency) 
  • 1000x bandwidth per unit area
  • 10-100x number of connected devices 
  • (Perception of) 99.999 percent availability 
  • (Perception of) 100 percent coverage
  • 90 percent reduction in network energy usage 
  • Up to 10-year battery life for low power, machine-type devices



Friday, April 6, 2018

4/06/2018 04:53:00 PM

Optus CEO reveals 5G roadmap

Optus will choose a 5G networking infrastructure partner within 12 weeks, CEO Allen Lew has told ZDNet, and will conduct field trials in the homes of Optus employees in the second half of the year.


Optus chief executive officer Allen Lew has outlined the company's 5G roadmap for the year ahead in an interview with ZDNet, detailing the path it will take to deploy commercial services in January 2019.

Speaking at the opening of Optus' 5G Live showcase in the Gold Coast on Thursday morning, Lew told ZDNet that Optus has yet to make a final decision on its technology vendor partner, despite carrying out most of its trials so far with Huawei.

"At this stage, we are in the development of the technology stage, we haven't selected a partner yet. We are working with multiple system integrators, multiple infrastructure providers to provide the showcase," Lew told ZDNet.

"We haven't finalized who's going to be eventually the one infrastructure provider who will provide 5G for us when we launch a commercial service in January next year."

Lew confirmed to ZDNet that Optus is currently working with all five major 5G networking vendors -- Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei, ZTE, and Samsung -- during its trials and that the telco will make the decision within eight to 12 weeks.

On making this decision, Lew said multiple factors will come into play.

"One is of course how they perform in trials, how their equipment has performed in what we've set up for the next 12 days [at the 5G Live showcase], and we'll be doing even more testing; the engineers have a battery of tests that they put all the vendors through," Lew told ZDNet.

"We do what is called radio propagation tests, so we look at it in different environments where depending on how high the antenna is, depending on the type of vegetation, are there forests, is it trees, are there buildings in between, so it's a whole bunch of technical stuff that we have to go through to make sure that when we do launch a service, we are not constrained by different environments that we'd face in real life that we haven't conquered in a test environment.

"Of course, there's a commercial negotiation as well, so there's a lot of work to do. That's why we think it's going to be eight to 12 weeks to finalize."

Optus' road to 5G saw it begin switching on its 4.5G network in February last year, followed by the addition of Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (Massive MIMO) and three-cell carrier aggregation to 4G at the end of last year.

Optus had in February announced that it will begin rolling out its 5G network across Australia in early 2019 in an aim to launch a fixed-wireless product in "key metro areas", following its first 5G trial with Huawei back in November 2016.

The trial was conducted as part of Optus' parent company Singtel's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Huawei; however, Optus had also signed an MOU with Nokia back in 2016 to collaborate on developing a 5G network, under which it undertook closed lab tests using Nokia's 5G radio test bed on its Airscale product, as well as narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) tests.

Singtel is meanwhile working on network advancements with Ericsson, ZTE, and Huawei.

According to Lew, Optus has now finished trials at its HQ in Macquarie Park; its 5G Live centre in the Gold Coast is stage two of its 5G plan, as it will allow the telco to gather data on how consumers interact with and react to the low-latency, high-bandwidth capabilities of 5G and the technologies it enables.

Optus is also inviting "young entrepreneurs" to visit the showcase -- which utilizes both indoor and outdoor 5G base stations -- and commercialize any ideas they come up with, which will also help Optus to decide who to partner with, Lew told ZDNet.


After choosing its infrastructure vendor, the next stage will then be conducting field trials in the second half of 2018 using the homes of Optus employees, Lew revealed to ZDNet, which will be followed by further announcements at the end of the year.

"We're probably going to do some trial tests, and this will be with our Optus staff where we'll be looking at their homes, we'll be setting up antennas and then -- obviously we will get the necessary regulatory approvals -- we'll be testing it with constant use, we'll be asking the staff to move the device around the house to make sure everything's working well," the chief executive explained.

"So we go through what we call a field trial, but that won't be until the second half of the year."

According to Optus Corporate and Regulatory Affairs VP Andrew Sheridan, the telco is facing two big policy initiatives when it comes to 5G: Spectrum and infrastructure regulation.

On the issue of spectrum, Sheridan reiterated that Optus' 3.5GHz holdings will be enough to launch its initial fixed-wireless 5G service, but that it will need to add millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum when it comes up for auction in order to have a more mobile service.

"The other issue, particularly around future use cases that the industry will be working through from a policy perspective is around how do you get some of the equipment closer to the consumers, particularly onto the streets and street furniture, so it's a question of looking at some of the distinct planning rules to allow deployment of that," Sheridan explained.

"We're not talking about mobile towers -- we're talking about much smaller-scale equipment that might go on lamp posts, or the sides of buildings, refreshing some of those powers and immunities.

"The regulators and the government are working on those issues."

Optus head of Networks Dennis Wong told ZDNet that launching a 5G network is all about bringing together multiple moving parts.

"The 5G rollout is not just about the air interfaces, it's about end to end. It's about the backhaul, the architecture itself," Wong said.

"We are talking about the radio, we're talking about the ecosystem, we are talking about the device, we are talking about the application, data analytics, the AI part of things, so I think for us, all of this is going in parallel so what we are doing is we're keeping a very close watch with the standards, and as the standards kick off we will work with our partners."

In addition to robotics and VR applications, Optus' 5G Live showcase includes an 8K mobile video-streaming demonstration that involves equipping a moving van with an 8K TV and a 5G prototype device, which sends the live stream over Optus' 5G network.

"Over the next couple of days, you might see another 5G van driving around," Sheridan remarked after Telstra announced that it would have a van cruising the Gold Coast to showcase 5G on the move. "Ours is bigger and better."



The 5G "handset" in the back of the Optus van is around the size of a desk drawer, while Telstra's handset has since been shrunk down from being the size of a 200kg filing cabinet in February to the size of a PC at the end of March.

Calling 5G the final piece of the "industrialization puzzle" -- due to its characteristics of low latency, high bandwidth, network slicing architecture, and massive machine type communications -- Wong said Optus is well positioned to deliver a 5G network thanks to its holdings in the 3.5GHz spectrum band.

"We are in a unique position to deliver 5G; the reason's that Optus, we have our 3.5GHz band," Wong said.

"And this is important for us, because we are able to bring it to the showcase, onto the road, onto the mobility, and showcase it to the public. And we test the performance of 5G in the real world, and then, therefore, we can develop new services as we go along."