At Mobile World Congress 2015 industry players are busy taking positions in earnest in their bid to play a central role in 5G systems, building on their success in defining and rolling out 4G networks.
According to Paul Lambert, Analyst, Service Providers and Markets, Ovum, it seems likely that 2020 will be the year that 5G will make its entrance in the first global telecoms markets.
Lambert believes the usual suspects – Japan and South Korea – are looking the most likely markets to see the first commercial launches while China will also make an early play to be among the 5G front-runners.
DoCoMo also announced a three-way 5G technical collaboration with China Mobile and KT Corporation to accelerate 5G commercial deployments and drive standardisation efforts, aiming to launch a 5G mobile communication service in Japan in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Meanwhile, Ericsson and Telstra they will collaborate on 5G standards and technologies, commencing in 2Q15 and continuing to evolve as the standards mature and 5G becomes a commercial network reality, again around 2020.
“Based on the success of 4G, the industry has every reason to be optimistic about the capabilities and monetisation opportunities 5G will bring,” Lambert observes.
“It should also be commended on putting into practice its learnings from defining and commercialising 4G systems.
“To ensure that the success of 4G is repeated, all players in the industry must focus on the larger picture of building affordable new technology that is not hampered by company-specific approaches or intellectual property claims.”