Five to Ten Year Plans for 5G Implementation

Five to Ten Year Plans for 5G Implementation: What the US Can Expect

According to a McKinsey report from 2020 titled “Connected world: An evolution in connectivity beyond the 5G revolution” the installations of 5G will cover 25% of the world’s population by 2030. It notes most of this coverage will be located in wealthier areas in the U.S., Europe, and China. The cost for such an endeavor? A staggering $700 to $900 billion, according to the report.

Where is the industry likely headed in the next five to ten years? China is moving rapidly towards 5G, with a stated goal of offering 5G to a significant proportion of mobile subscribers by 2025. In the U.S., the adoption of 5G is hampered by the time-intensive Small Cell construction process, and the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. Despite the setbacks, the major U.S. carriers have tens of billions invested in 5G’s rollout in the coming decade, and several industries are counting on the new capabilities offered by the latest cell network standard. For example, full 5G coverage will usher in new developments in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and mobility, affecting nearly every American’s daily life.

Urban Center Focused

The core growth for 5G antennas and coverage in the coming years is focused squarely on urban centers. This approach makes sense, as providers need an antenna placed about every city block, so there must be high population densities in that given area to provide service to high numbers of people.

In the United States, a fall 2019 Ericsson Mobility Report predicted 2020 to become a big year for 5G and estimated 75 percent of the mobile subscriptions in North America will move to 5G by 2025. Of course, COVID-19 presents a stumbling block for this rapid adoption, however, the pandemic underscored the need for 5G’s capabilities for telemedicine, remote work, video conferencing and other intensive applications. It makes it easier for people to connect to loved ones and colleagues, whether they’re across the country or the globe.

A Different 5G for Rural Areas

What about the rest of the global population that does not live in urban centers? McKinsey’s report predicts a slower type of 5G that runs on the same bands as current 4G networks will provide marginally faster connectivity for 80% of the world’s population by 2030. In rural areas, the 5G people utilize will be different. The 5G in urban areas offers fast speeds and capacity because it leverages much higher channels than 4G, essentially using a broader “highway” for traffic. It uses higher millimeter-wave frequencies that are basically unused. However, these are short-distance waves, which necessitate the massive number of antennas and make installation in rural areas an economic impossibility. In rural areas, operators will install “low-band” 5G which still provides benefits for industrial sensors and enable various applications where low latency is essential.

Construction Roadblocks

In the U.S., a considerable roadblock for 5G adoption is simply building the necessary infrastructure. Operators have plans to construct 5,000 to 20,000 small cells, rooftop and macro upgrades in every major city. Reaching the promise of 5G will also require advances in edge computing and other technology.

Shifting from 4G means moving away from Macros to more of a “small cell” and fiber combination approach. True 5G networks boast sub one-millisecond latency, which will enable networks of sensors for self-driving cars, where vehicles and various parts of the road infrastructure “talk” to each other for optimal safety.

Putting this infrastructure in place requires a massive collaboration between providers and city governments. Cities already have requirements and restrictions in place to manage 5G construction, so operators must quickly and adapt to locale-specific rules.

Installing all these antennas is a new process that presents workers at city permitting offices with new challenges. Unfortunately, carriers often treat construction as a real estate problem (as they would for erecting big macro cell towers), but 5G requires a construction-focused approach. The antennas for 5G are proposed mainly for public property, working with city engineering office makes sure the massive amount of infrastructure we are adding follows engineering requirements that comes with real-world issues such as managing utility lines or being aware of public right of way issues during construction.

Realizing full 5G coverage in the coming decade will require a more streamlined approach to infrastructure construction. Instead of the current “one-off” methods for site selection and construction, operators should lean towards handling this process to qualified vendors that understand the permitting process, know how to streamline construction plans, and ensure quality throughout every step of the process. That’s where we come in. Inorsa provides ways to turn telecom site acquisition, engineering and construction teams with automation tools and a dedicated team of engineers and specialists that can manage construction projects at scale, to accelerate 5G adoption throughout the United States.