What is the best 5G deployment strategy? In recent conversations with mobile operators, many admitted to shying away from investing in full 5G standalone (SA). Instead they have opted for 5G non-standalone (NSA), with a focus on 5G radio and re-using the 4G core. Yet carriers that have chosen this path admit that 5G NSA has a number of limitations. Slowly but surely, there is a groundswell of operators moving to full 5G SA.
Along with 5G SA, operators are exploring different options to deploy the 5G core. One of the key questions concern the challenge and opportunity of effectively managing the surge in 5G data. With full-scale deployments of 5G, there will be a monumental increase in the amount of subscriber data on the network, driven partially by private subscriptions but mostly from large-scale internet of things (IoT) applications. According to industry analysts at IDC, there will be over 40 billion connected IoT devices generating a staggering 80 zettabytes of data in just five years.
5G at its core
The 5G core can be a double-edged sword. Get it wrong, and operators could be overwhelmed trying to manage the tsunami of data. Manage it right and the core can deliver substantial benefits. It can lower costs, improve data consistency and increase scalability – giving operators the capability to successfully handle the exponential growth of connected devices along with the subsequent expansion of data.
Industry analysts have been exploring whether Unified Data Management (UDM) systems could be a way to tackle the exponential growth of 5G data. UDM consists of a number of cloud-native network functions and services that centralize the management and storage of all 5G data and make it accessible for other network applications. Put simply, there are different network applications that would need to draw from the same pool of data, which requires the separation of data and function.
This pool can be established with the creation of a network data layer combining the UDM and Unified Data Repository (UDR) functions. Thanks to this type of cloud-native architecture, network and business operations can securely store data, access applications and gain a unified view of all the data (see illustration below).
Breaking vendor lock-ins
All this sounds promising, so why are operators hesitating? It is primarily because virtualization ensnared operators into vendor lock-ins, when NFV was first introduced in the market. Proprietary technologies with little or no room for maneuver did not meet expectations, stifled innovation, and caused higher operational expenditure.
3GPP, the standards organization, has addressed these issues with a new open 5G standard. A growing number of operators are therefore taking a modular approach to designing the 5G core and that is helping them avoid the dreaded vendor lock-in scenario. Operators now have the freedom to pick and choose individual components, such as UDM for their data management, which means they also gain the ability to differentiate and monetize service offerings.
To monetize 5G effectively and smoothly, operators must deploy service-oriented architecture that can collapse all vendor data silos into a single, network layer. Not only can applications tap into this pool of data, but it also allows network providers to manage structured and unstructured data, swiftly scale capacity, and improve service availability.
Unleash 5G’s real potential
Effective data management systems and support for IoT applications are a must for operators that want to further develop their business. They should be able to fine-tune their 5G data management capabilities for the core and implement UDM systems. That will not only reap the benefits of simplified network development and interoperability, but also lower the total cost of operations and shorten the time-to-market for new services.
5G really lives up to the initial promise of virtualization and delivers more choice. Now is the time for operators to break free of the shackles of vendor lock-in and unleash the true potential of 5G.
References:
The Growth in Connected IoT Devices Is Expected to Generate 79.4ZB of Data in 2025, According to a New IDC Forecast
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS45213219
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