AT&T 5G plans laid out in FCC filing
Despite claims of skepticism regarding upcoming launch plans from rival Verizon Wireless, AT&T appears set to begin its own “5G” network trials in Austin, Texas.
According to a Twitter post from wireless consultant Steve Crowley, AT&T has filed paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission seeking an experimental license to conduct 5G technology trials using spectrum in the 3.4-3.6 GHz, 3.7-4.2 GHz, 14.5-15.35 GHz and 27.5-28.5 GHz bands. The carrier said the testing would be used to test “experimental equipment” in support of “potential (5G) multi-gigabyte per second applications for fixed and mobile wireless communication networks at higher transmission rates and lower latency than is currently available,” and supporting voice, video and data.
“Applicant’s proposed experiments would involve base stations that would transmit signals to and receive signals from experimental equipment located onboard mobile vehicles and on fixed stations in and within 5 kilometers of the Austin area,” the filing requests. The license request is for a three-year period, with expectations of 5G standards to be set by 2019.
AT&T last September expressed doubts over news from Verizon Wireless that it planned to begin trialling 5G technology as soon as this year.
“We’re not at a point to be making promises or commitments to customers as to what 5G is,” stated Glenn Lurie, then chief executive of AT&T Mobility, in an interview at the CTIA Super Mobility trade show. “We as an industry have been really good at overpromising and underdelivering when it comes to new technology.”
While international standards bodies are still working through what will encompass 5G, Verizon Wireless said it expects the standard to support 50 times the network throughput of current LTE networks, latency in the single-digit milliseconds and the ability to support increased network demand from a growing number of connected devices and the “Internet of Things.”
“5G is no longer a dream of the distant future,” said Roger Gurnani , EVP and chief information and technology architect for Verizon. “We feel a tremendous sense of urgency to push forward on 5G and mobilize the ecosystem by collaborating with industry leaders and developers to usher in a new generation of innovation.”
Partners for Verizon Wireless’ 5G push are set to include Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Nokia Networks, Qualcomm and Samsung.
A number of vendors and industry trade groups have begun to tout potential benefits of 5G, which is expected to see its first commercial deployments beginning in 2020. A number of key components are set to include a greater reliance on small cells, higher spectrum bands and network virtualization technologies.
The FCC recently opened up spectrum around the 3.6 GHz band for potential sharing between licensed and unlicensed use under the guise of Citizen Broadband Radio Service. The FCC also unsuccessfully looked to align worldwide spectrum efforts above the 6 GHz band for 5G services at the recent World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 event.
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