With true 4G networks only now beginning to see commercial deployments, telecommunications equipment giant Huawei is looking to the future announcing plans to spend at least $600 million by 2018 on “research and innovation” related to “5G” technologies. The Chinese-based vendor said it expects commercial “5G” networks to be ready for market beginning in 2020 delivering peak network speeds of over 10 gigabits per second.
Huawei claims it began investing in “5G” services in 2009, having then demonstrated prototype base stations at the 2011 and 2012 Mobile World Congress events. The vendor adds that it was participated in a number of “5G” research projects and is looking to establish a standards-based ecosystem for the evolution of wireless networks. Those projects include the U.K.-based 5G Innovation Center as well as participating in the Mobile and wireless communications Enablers for Twenty-twenty Information Society.
While the framework for “5G” technology has yet to be established, many have noted the need for further integration of denser network deployments, broader use of spectrum assets and devices using a greater number of antennas to tap into those network assets.
Network generation standards are set by the International Telecommunications Union, having finalized the standards for “4G” technology under the IMT-Advanced designation in 2012. That designation was accredited to LTE-Advanced and IMT-Advanced standards that are just now beginning to see deployment in select markets. Key features of “4G” include:
–A high degree of commonality of functionality worldwide while retaining the flexibility to support a wide range of services and applications in a cost efficient manner.
–Compatibility of services within IMT and with fixed networks.
–Capability of interworking with other radio access systems.
–High-quality mobile services.
–User equipment suitable for worldwide use.
–User-friendly applications, services and equipment.
–Worldwide roaming capability.
–Enhanced peak data rates to support advanced services and applications of 100 megabits per second for high mobility and 1 gigabit per second for low mobility.
The ITU amended parts of the standard to allow for the marketing efforts of LTE deployments that carrier’s have dubbed “4G” even though the networks don’t meet the actual requirements of the “4G” standard.
South Korea’s SK Telecom claims it launched LTE-Advanced services in June, offering customers network speeds twice as fast as the carrier’s LTE network. The carrier said the LTE-A network provides theoretical downlink speeds up to 150 megabits per second by combining a pair of 10 megahertz carriers to form an effective 20 megahertz channel. That combination is made through SK Telecom’s use of carrier aggregation and coordinated multi-point, with plans to add enhanced inter-cell interference coordination to the mix next year.
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