Dynamic spectrum sharing is one of the 5G capabilities that represents “a game changer,” according to Dean Brenner, Qualcomm SVP. Among the key reasons: 5G handsets will be able to use 4G capacity directly, without refarming.
That has huge capital investment implications, as well as time to market advantages as well, for firms using Ericsson radio gear, as Ericsson radios can support the upgrade by software.
Traditionally, the next-generation mobile network has launched in new spectrum. When legacy networks are shut down, that spectrum is converted to use by the newer networks.
There is a longish period when the older networks therefore are run inefficiently, with fewer and fewer users. Dynamic spectrum sharing, though, allows 5G handsets to use 4G network resources directly, and immediately, without the wait to refarm the older spectrum.
That requires base stations and phones able to support the feature, of course, but the ability to use 4G network resources directly should allow faster 5G deployment, with lower cost.
A re-farming process that typically could take 10 years is avoided, and available spectrum is used more efficiently. There are caveats. If a radio site is congested for 4G, dynamic spectrum sharing might not help that much, especially if 5G demand is significant.
In rural or suburban areas, where 4G demand is moderate, DSS might be quite useful, as it allows immediate offering of 5G, using spectrum will better coverage characteristics, albeit with less bandwidth capability (the trade-off between better coverage but less bandwidth using lower frequency, and less coverage/higher capacity using high frequency still applies, as always).
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