We can safely assume that some service providers will move faster than others to deploy 5G mobile networks, as a matter of business strategy. To do so, some may look for ways to move faster than several new proposed 5G bands are cleared for that purpose at the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019.
In advance of WRC-19, a number of bands already were selected for potential 5G usage, all of which had previously been allocated to mobile services on a primary basis: 24.25-27.5 GHz, 37-40.5 GHz, 42.5-43.5 GHz, 45.5-47 GHz, 47.2-50.2 GHz, 50.4-52.6 GHz, 66-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz.
The 31.8-33.4 GHz, 40.5-42.5 GHz and 47-47.2 GHz bands also will be looked at to support 5G, but are not presently designated for mobile services on a primary basis.
The 27.5-29.5 GHz band already has a co-primary mobile allocation, but has not been specifically allocated for 5G, leaving open the possibility that some could use that band, in part, to support 5G, without waiting for a 2019 decision, and deployment some years after the decision.
Redeployment of existing spectrum to support next generation networks as older networks are retired is a virtually-certain practice.
That might be especially important if the predicted new use cases related to Internet of Things become important.
If connected cars, health applications, industrial automation, utility apps and logistics (for example) are among the lead IoT apps and services, it is reasonable to predict that the lower frequencies--with better signal propagation and lower bandwidths--will underpin the business models. In other words, such IoT apps often will require coverage, not bandwidth.
The millimeter wave frequencies will be better suited to capacity, rather than coverage. That might suggest new millimeter wave 5G allocations will be used in urban, high density settings, to support high-bandwidth applications such as video.
One intriguing possibility: use of high-capacity 5G bandwidth indoors, to displace traditional fixed network access. Practitioners will have to solve the problem of indoor signal reception from outdoor small cells, or place small cells inside buildings.
The point is that the new millimeter frequencies will require small cell deployment scenarios. The lower frequencies will be better for mobility apps.
No comments:
Post a Comment