Trend 5G predictions for By Stephen Douglas, Head of 5G Strategy, Spirent Communication 1


DSS will grow during 2022 but new or reframed spectrum is already needed. Operators


worldwide face stiff competition to provide 5G coverage in their markets, as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Hence, expect more carriers to use dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) to raise their 5G profile with consumers. However, whilst DSS does ensure that more subscribers see that they’re connected to “5G”, it can’t deliver the data speeds most consumers associate with 5G. Gradually, more operators will recognise that this effort is not enough to compete with non-DSS 5G services. Ultimately, operators will begin undertaking the more onerous and expensive process of reallocating/re-farming spectrum, and expanding their cell-site footprint.


2


More operators will deploy standalone 5G core networks, and turn to


hyperscalers. A few operators began deploying 5G Standalone (SA) networks in 2021, and those numbers will continue to grow. What will be different is that many operators will be looking to partner with hyperscalers to achieve this, aiming to host cloud-native 5G core capabilities on cloud providers’ infrastructure. Tis process began in 2021, as operators started to understand the challenges cloud-native infrastructure presents and the benefits of working with hyperscalers like Google, Microsoſt and Amazon.


3


Private 5G networks. By mid- 2022, expect to see a big push for private 5G networks for stadiums


and other high-density venues. Testing over the last 18 months has revealed that the behaviour of 5G radio within these indoor environments actually provides much better coverage than anticipated, with a very small footprint. Already a number of US stadiums have deployed indoor mmWave coverage using small cells, and found they could provide excellent coverage and performance (even reaching out to parking lots) – at speeds exceeding 1Gbps – for tens of thousands of users with just a handful of small cells, versus hundreds of Wi-Fi access points. Tese designs were proven in 2021 and will start being deployed at scale this year.


4 5 04 February 2022 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


Latency will begin to replace data rates in importance. For decades, the race to win the mobile


marketplace was about delivering faster data rates. As operators begin to expand their focus on the enterprise and industrial sectors in 2022, that focus will begin to give way to latency. Expect more operators to invest in demonstrating their networks can not only deliver latencies as low as required, but can deliver them consistently and deterministically enough to support mission-critical industrial applications.


Open virtual RAN will go from pilot to production. Another incremental change in the coming


year is that Open vRAN (Virtualised Radio Access Network) will move from small- scale pilots to small- and medium-size live deployments. Based on testing, we expect to see early


Open vRAN deployments in three key areas: rural regions, indoor and non-dense


urban deployments. All three are viewed as less risky than other types of deployments, either because they will not support mission-critical services, or because they will be able to fall back on the traditional macro network, if needed. Some challenger service providers


(Rakuten, DISH Network) may start rolling out live Open vRAN deployments in denser urban areas, but the major incumbents likely will hold off until 2023/2024.


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Momentum will continue building to accelerate some “beyond 5G” services.


Service providers have already begun vision-setting in earnest for future wireless systems. As they do, many are searching for opportunities to bring some of those future technologies under the umbrella of 5G architectures over the next eight years. Based on the testing we’re seeing now,


we expect these efforts in two major areas: First, integrating low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite technology into the 5G system to enhance 5G coverage for specific uses and areas of reach. Second, we’re seeing early testing efforts


in the use of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and meta-materials, with the goal of creating intelligent reflective surfaces that direct or even amplify radio signals. Tese technologies, which most likely won’t be integrated into 5G systems for several years, will help operators cover hard-to-reach areas by enabling RF signals to travel longer distances and avoid interference, reduce the required density of radio towers and potentially reduce energy usage and carbon emissions.


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