IIOT & SMART MANUFACTURING FEATURE The 2G/3G sunset as 5G rises higher


The evolution from analogue 1G through Edge onto 3G and now 5G networks makes it virtually impossible for the networks to support older generation infrastructure. Steve Sydes, CEO of Siretta, explains why organisations need to be aware of impending changes


F


or many years there has been a constant desire to use technology to connect things.


Starting over a decade ago this was through the implementation of M2M, more recently followed by the IoT connectivity revolution. Organisations want to benefit from the technological advantages and the exponential growth expected through the deployment of billions of sensors and multiple IoT use cases, but they need to remain aware of any impending changes being undertaken by the cellular network providers. 5G will inevitably change the IoT landscape with


high data rates and low latency, yet the rollout has the potential to generate indecision and confusion for organisations as they look towards their IoT deployment strategies. Many with deployments that currently use 2G or 3G will need to consider their longer-term deployment approach and may well begin to look towards various new cellular based solutions – such as LTE Cat 1, LTE NB-IoT & LTE-M, as well as LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area networks). The cost of deploying 5G will cause


the inexorable sunset for 2G and 3G. The cellular mobile evolution from analogue 1G through Edge onto 3G and now 5G networks makes it virtually impossible for the networks to support older generation infrastructure and instead will invest in future formats. At some point obsolescence is inevitable.


THE ISSUES NB-IoT and LTE-M are commonly linked to 4G, yet we should note that they form a pivotal function for 5G. The 3GPP standards group has completed the standardisation of NB-IoT, developed to support IoT deployments by cellular operators, and as such we can assume this will now deploy at pace. LPWAN technologies such as LoRa and Sigfox


enabled early adopters to deploy low data rate IoT solutions where latency was not a major concern. The cellular network providers were slower in entering the market as their revenues have always been tied inextricably to higher data rate needs such as voice and video. However, having now awoken to the opportunity, we have seen a fundamental shift in their thinking, with an emphasis being applied to competitive solutions to the likes of LoRa, Sigfox and Weightless through LTE-M and NB-IoT via 4G LTE and 5G networks. The issue for network operators has previously been cost – the older analogue and 2G systems are expensive to maintain and operate. However, the digital based 4G formats and above are much more cost


There have also been roll-outs of these technologies across many other countries. Going back to 2G, in Europe we have seen a


wider number of operators and networks supporting 2G deployments and as such there appears a reluctance to talk about the inevitable obsolescence with any degree of certainty. Nothing has been set in concrete yet. However, due to the size of the 2G user base, these operators are indicating that the likelihood is 3G will be ‘sunsetted’ first. The USA has a lower number of network


operators and some of these are currently 3G only. The largest 2G operator, AT&T, turned off 2G in 2016. Sprint (now part of T-Mobile) has said it will support 2G until 2021, however there is a possibility that it may extend beyond this date as customers search and develop their respective 2G alternatives. It is reasonable to assume that 2G support in the US will be in short supply by the end of 2022. Globally, newer emerging economies like India


and China are all on rapid developments driven by bandwidth requirements and will therefore likely jump straight to 5G based solutions.


/ DESIGNSOLUTIONS


effective while at the same time providing vastly improved performance. Thus, now becoming a competitive alternative to LPWAN. So, what about the networks already deployed


on these expiring formats? Who are the big players on the user side? The last decade has seen utility meter manufacturers with rollouts in the millions: water, gas and electric companies, remote monitoring and roadside advertising, all add up to a vast global customer base using low data rates and where latency is not regarded as a critical parameter. It is also relevant to question Mobile Network


Operators (MNOs) such as Vodafone, O2, etc. What are they doing, what are their plans? This year has seen some steps forward in the UK with partial roll-outs for Vodafone on the LTE NB IoT network, and O2 on the LTE Cat M1 network.


IOT SOLUTIONS As previously highlighted, the cost of operating an older analogue or 2G system is high – estimated to be in the order of four times that of a 5G system. These commercial considerations will inevitably put pressure on the move to 5G sooner rather than later. The UK based global manufacturer, Siretta, has extensive knowledge and experience within IoT, focusing on cellular technologies. Its modems adopt a standard footprint in the ZETA range which provides models in 2G (GPRS), 3G (UMTS), 4G (LTE), including LTE Category 4, LTE Category 1, LTE NB-IoT and LTE Category M, which is a major factor in ensuring clients are part of a future proofed ecosystem. Support for multiple technologies makes Siretta a partner of choice for companies considering their next deployment. M2M and Smart Metering require


Siretta’s ZETA range


low data rates, typically less than 1Mb/s, and the cost of data remains the critical factor. This remains the inverse for voice and video requirements that are hungry for ever more bandwidth and lower latency. However, as more data analytics are required, the IoT bandwidth and latency will become more important. For users, the cost of data determines the contract and hardware cost and, as devices become more capable of higher data rates, the cost will be reflected


in the enhanced data handling capability. For example, a 1000Mb/s data rate device on a 5G network will have a corresponding higher price. Although migration may appear to be more costly compared to current usage deployments, consideration needs to be given to users’ increasing data requirements and more edge-based computing so migrating acts to future proof not only the hardware but also their analytic requirements. Volume users will continue to negotiate special


data rates with the operators. If you are a large utility with, for example, a 20 million units smart meter deployment, negotiating a low data rate deal on 5G is likely possible, particularly with deployment amortisation. However, if your deployment is a few hundred units, even grouped together, the data rate will be very low and your ability to negotiate will be limited. In that case, 4G (LTE) with its lower power Cat 1, Cat M & NB IoT networks may be a solution until the cost of bandwidth falls – which it inevitably will.


Siretta www.siretta.com


DESIGN SOLUTIONS | JULY/AUGUST 2020 33


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