Launched in 2019, the world’s first 5G network provides mobile devices with low-latency connectivity, faster data speeds, and higher data caps. The question of which country actually launched his 5G first is up for debate, with the US and South Korea still vying for bragging rights, but the impact of this technology is not up for debate. Telecom company Ericsson said in its August 2023 Mobility Report that since then, about 260 service providers have launched commercial 5G services in 92 countries, and about 35 have deployed or launched 5G standalone (SA) networks. (The latter is another version of SA 5G). According to an Ericsson report, the number of 5G subscriptions worldwide is expected to increase by 175 million, reaching 1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2023, and reach 5 billion by 2028. .
However, the transition away from 4G remains slow. According to Ericsson, the number of 4G subscribers increased by 11 million over the same period to a total of 5.2 billion. Additionally, Deloitte’s 2023 Global Digital Consumer Trends Survey is based on a survey of his 27,150 respondents across 17 countries, with 36% saying the quality of their 4G and their 5G is It has been suggested that they are considered to be approximately the same.
Some experts point out that, at least in the North American region, many users are reluctant to pay extra for 5G, especially since they believe 4G is sufficient for their data speed needs. . This trend is validated in a YouGov report that “shows overall consumer data speed needs”. Despite his 5G adoption rate increasing across all age groups, upgrades to 5G have not increased significantly. ”
Consumer reluctance to migrate away from reliable 4G technology, combined with concerns about security and potential environmental risks, are preventing seamless integration of 5G technology. But to understand the true importance of 5G, we need to look beyond the telecom industry.
Current 5G situation
Although the telecom industry talks about 5G more than any other industry, 5G use cases extend beyond the telecom industry and are more fundamental to our lives than we realize. 5G applications cross gaming, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), manufacturing, energy, utilities, media and entertainment, healthcare, smart buildings, connected factories, connected retail, and more. According to his PwC report on the impact of 5G on the global economy, this technology is estimated to increase global GDP by $1.3 trillion by 2030.
“With 5G infrastructure in place, big data projects are becoming a reality and we are experiencing a revolution in connected smart devices and IoT,” said Nadav Avni, CMO of device management company Radix. . In fact, Avni believes that the increasing penetration of 5G infrastructure and supporting devices around the world, which has already led to improved quality of life and higher economic growth rates, will continue on an upward trajectory. I am. This claim is also supported by his trade body, the GSMA.
Furthermore, experts say that the majority of carriers launching 5G networks are using existing 4G/LTE infrastructure as a foundation, creating so-called 5G non-standalone (NSA). 5G NSA can help deploy some 5G features faster and at a lower cost, but it cannot provide the low latency of 5G SA and consumes more power. Other challenges for 5G NSA include lack of compatibility with existing devices and 4G LTE-based security threats such as denial of service (DoS), eavesdropping, and unauthorized data use of network devices. It is included. Avni says that as connectivity increases, so do cyber threats, as is the case with both 5G NSA and his 5G SA. This increases the need to protect data during storage, transmission, and access.
Private 5G networks: NTT’s pioneering efforts
When global technology giant NTT launched what it calls “the first globally available private 5G Network-as-a-Service platform” in 2021, the goal was simple. “Going beyond connectivity, delivering security, device and edge management, application development, big data analytics, and deep back-office integration.” Two years later, the company has expanded to include manufacturing, automotive, agriculture, and health. We are continuing our efforts to drive digital transformation for businesses across industries such as care.
Abhijit Dubey, CEO of NTT, said: fast company. “Our belief is that edge connectivity, which can deliver ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth connectivity in the form of private 5G, will unlock a plethora of new use cases for enterprise value creation.”
Shahid Ahmed, executive vice president and head of new business and innovation at NTT, said P5G eliminates the need for multiple Wi-Fi access points just to expand network coverage, and 5G He says the issue will be resolved. For example, to fully cover an automobile company with 1 million square feet of space both indoors and outdoors, he says, ‘To cover that much square footage he would need nearly 8 to 10,000 his Wi-Fi You will need an access point,” Ahmed points out. “But with a private 5G network, he can do it with four or he can do it with five access points and that’s it.”
He added that P5G also brings sustainability by replacing the thousands of cables that businesses need to use for network connectivity, and low latency (enables high-speed processing of large amounts of data with minimal delay). P5G components).
“It’s sustainable and eliminates the need to run cables connecting thousands of access points. Also, unlike with Wi-Fi, there aren’t as many access points, so these companies have to worry about security. is important. Each access point potentially increases the risk and threat profile. Therefore, many companies, especially those with large footprints such as manufacturing companies, mining companies, and utilities, are pursuing private 5G. And I think you are.”
5G future
The current state of 5G falls well short of the global connectivity renaissance it promised. PwC notes in a recent report that for all of 5G’s potential, it is still far from delivering on its promise. “Killer” apps that use large amounts of data include video and 3D graphics processing, immersive AR/VR/XR (augmented/virtual/augmented reality) experiences, mobile multiplayer games, autonomous robots, and connected vehicles. Implementation is limited. , it has not yet fully emerged or it turns out that they don’t need 5G after all,” the report said. It further added that customer adoption of 5G remains low, with GSMA forecasting that 5G will still account for only a small share (25%) of all mobile connections by the end of 2025, and 8% in 2021. %, but it is still far behind 4G. , still dominates 55% of connections.
Despite the challenges, the trajectory of 5G technology shows increased adoption and integration into various industries. According to this report from ABI Research, in countries with strong 5G enterprise adoption, government policies lower barriers to entry for acquiring spectrum, including government subsidies for 5G enterprise adoption, government-led testbeds for 5G enterprises, and It is said that tests and 5G policy are being conducted. With a plan with clearly defined goals, the future of 5G looks bright. In particular, P5G networks will enable companies to deploy new use cases across industries such as manufacturing and automotive.
“A few months ago, we were still in the early stages. But in the last three to four months, we’ve turned a corner. The velocity of opportunities coming into our pipeline has really accelerated. I think there are two reasons: one is device availability and the other is that the 5G supply chain has become more streamlined and available. So the more devices, the better the use case. Better use cases mean productive business cases,” says Ahmed.
He said 5G will gradually gain traction through a number of use cases, including automated guided vehicles (AGVs), seamless communication through push-to-talk “walkie-talkie” systems, and uninterrupted connectivity for always-on PCs and machine vision applications. He added that He says the performance of data-intensive Industry 4.0 operations will improve, and over the next two years he predicts even more integration with Wi-Fi.
For Avni, both 4G and 5G will coexist until 5G reaches its peak, but that development will only be “a matter of time,” he says. He also said a reluctant consumer will eventually end up upgrading to 5G, especially if his favorite apps stop working when he’s running on LTE or 4G. is also predicted. Although he acknowledges that P5G is revolutionary, he points out that it is currently very expensive and is still only used by large organizations such as car companies, banks, and manufacturing companies that cannot compromise on security. doing.
“Once P5G is available to everyone, it will become like fiber to the home, and everyone will be able to use P5G to increase security and reduce latency.” he says.
