Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 09 | Page 36

FEATURE: THE COMING OF 5G T he rise of smart devices is largely what is driving wireless operators’ rapid implementation of 4G LTE networks in many regions. Data demand will continue to underline 5G requirements as well, but now a variety of smart “things” will join the networks. In the ”Internet of Things” (IoT) concept, a multitude of sensors, meters and other machines will connect wirelessly to the Internet to create more value and efficiency across a host of applications. These M2M connections will add to the data load put onto wireless networks, and will further push the need for more capacity. Dealing with the demand for data has been key to mobile operators’ strategies over the last number of years. They have worked not only to provide data-hungry subscribers with the bandwidth they need, but also to guard the profit margins demanded by their shareholders. 5G is increasingly being talked about in much the same way that 4G was in the second part of the 2000’s. As such, the race is already on to define this next generation standard, and to assure that it is profitable for MNOs. With the growth rate of smart phone adoption slowing, operators view 5G, and its support of numerous IoT uses cases, as an opportunity to create services for an entire new set of customers. In the future, additional revenue growth will come from servicing other industry verticals such as automotive, health care, and logistics with innovative technologies and new business models. Across the globe, engineers and scientists are working on new radio and core network architectures and technologies that are being evaluated as the basis for the upcoming 5G standard. Even more so than 4G, 5G technology will be a series of standard releases with an evolving and improving set of technologies leading to performance gains. However, it is the ITU that will formally determine what the official next 36 INTELLIGENTCIO generation standard will be in terms of performance. The 3GPP and ITU are aligned in this process and has targeted that the 5G release in 2020 will meet these ITU requirements. Like all the ‘Gs’ that have preceded it, the first and most essential step to defining and ultimately rolling out 5G will be ensuring that it can accommodate mobile broadband www.intelligentcio.com