The future has never been so close.
With fanfare, excitement, and speculation, 5G is slowly making
the transition from a general idea to network implementation.
Network operators are already scheduling 5G network trials
and testbeds to sort out how the 5G vision will be realized.
5G networks promise to support new services, more video, and cloud
connectivity. There are three main case uses driving the 5G
revolution:
1. Enhanced mobile broadband. With the promise of 10 Gbps
connectivity and latency of fewer than five milliseconds, it’s no
surprise the ongoing surge in demand for mobile connectivity
will accelerate dramatically. The industry estimates this increased
speed will result in a 10- to 100-fold increase in the number of
5G-connected devices over the number of 4G devices.
2. The Internet of Things (IoT). Thanks to 5G’s virtualized, radio
technology-agnostic core published predictions estimate as many
as 20 billion IoT connections by 2020—connections that will drive
smart buildings and smart cities. CommScope anticipates 5G will
offer 1,000 times the bandwidth of 4G and up to five times the
density, making room for all those “things” on the network.
3. High-reliability, low-latency networks. Beyond just doing what
4G does better and faster, 5G opens new doors to allow
driverless cars to coordinate over the network, enable augmented
reality and virtual reality and expand the horizons of remote surgery
and other applications that can fulfill their promise only on a network
with such ultralow latency times as 5G’s five-millisecond threshold.
With these case uses in mind as the template for a real-world 5G
the rollout, it makes sense to also consider what can be done to make
these applications possible. For operators, that plan boils down to
three key strategies.
The first is densification, or the practice of increasing capacity in a given
area through more antennas, small cell sites or other measures.
Upgrading to MIMO and sector splitting technologies also falls
under this strategy. The second is virtualization, shifting the work of
physical equipment to virtualized environments operating in
centralized data centers. This strategy’s inherent efficiency can
reduce costs by as much as 70 percent. The third strategy is
the optimization of existing assets and processes, including—but not
limited to— repurposing earlier-generation wireless and TV
spectrum and moving computing resources closer to the edge.
Throughout the converged network, efficiency will be a critical
design requirement for all aspects of 5G.
Getting ready for 5G is as important as knowing how it will be used.
CommScope has made an extensive study of the pre- 5G and coming
5G landscape and we are excited to share what we know. To participate
in a 5G workshop, learn more about CommScope’s solutions, request
a quote or begin a new partnership, visit commscope.com or contact
us anytime. 5G is coming. Powered by experience and focused on
progress, CommScope can’t wait to help you unlock the power and
potential of 5G networks.