Sravani mekala

The 5G is not yet for now, but it is moving fast. It is therefore interesting to ask the question of what it will bring us, when and how.

Why do we change generation? After all, if you compare operator coverage charts, 4G is not yet a generality, and probably never will be anyway. But 5G , on paper, goes beyond simply replacing our current mobile network. In fact, it could well completely blur the distinction between fixed and nomadic internet. So of course, we must qualify: if we immerse ourselves in the marketing discourse of operators at the time of the arrival of the 4G, it was already the promise that we were made.

Where the 5G might well achieve it, it is in its focus on aspects of the connection that go beyond the simple increase in speed - including the reduction of latency - and open new uses. Especially since on its side, the very high speed fixed is struggling to arrive. Fiber is struggling to overtake major cities and SFR's failed deployment initiatives do not inspire optimism. The 4G, if it does not cover the entire territory, has developed well in 5 years, so it is relatively quiet to consider that the 5G will be much more effective to bring the "THD" in the open countryside.

What is 5G?

Talking about 5G Technology without explaining it in detail is quite deceptive, as it is not so much a disruptive technology that will change everything overnight, but as ARCEP says in its report, a set of technologies that will happen gradually, and coexist with an evolution of 4G, knowing that the latter will not stop its development so far. The authority also recalls that some operators, including US, already called "4G" their offer HSPA (3G +).

The millimeter waves: more power, less reach

The key technology of 5G lies in the use of higher spectrum frequencies, compared to those currently affected. 4G and its predecessors have used roughly frequency bands below 6 GHz. The 5G promises the use in particular of an expanded spectrum of 30 to 300 GHz, the so-called millimeter waves.

The millimeter waves are double-edged. On the one hand, they allow higher flows. On the other, hence their name, they have a shorter reach. As a reminder, this explains the battle for the "golden frequencies" of 4G. The lower the frequency, the better the range, and especially the penetration through obstacles such as walls. The 5G will therefore use these millimeter waves, but also use frequencies below 6 GHz to allow a wider deployment. ARCEP mentions the band 3,4 - 3,6 GHz which would offer a large quantity of the spectrum. Reallocation of frequencies already used by 3G and 4G are studied, but more complicated. The 700 MHz band could play a role here.

Bridging the millimeter-wave range requires the use of smaller cells and using techniques such as Massive Multi In Multi Out ( MIMO ) to multiply capacity and  beamforming  to intelligently channel signals to devices.

5G modems and smartphones

With new technology, need new components. On this point, Qualcomm is already well advanced with its X50 modem announced a year and a half ago. The X50 supports  beamforming  and solid MIMO, handles up to 800 MHz of bandwidth through the aggregation of 8 100 MHz antennas and can reach 5 Gbit / second in downstream flow.

Currently, the modem can only operate on the 28 GHz millimeter wave band, but it should be remembered that it is, for the moment, only intended to perform connection tests. As mentioned by ARCEP, frequency issues are still unclear and subject to change. Orange , in France, is one of the operators working with Qualcomm, but discussions are also open with SFR and Bouygues.

OEMs that have already "signed" with the smelter, however, have absentees. Apple, in conflict with Qualcomm, would tend to turn to Intel to equip future iPhone 5G compatible. Huawei develops its own technologies. If Samsung is not one of the first announced, the brand has assured us that they were partners in this development.

The fact is that the manufacturers do not hesitate to announce their desire to be present on the 5G market. We can mention Sony, which admits to have missed the boat since 2014 and intends to put the package on the 5G , but also Huawei who promises a first compatible smartphone in June 2019 . It's also about the date evoked by OnePlus .

5G, what does it bring?

The 5G standard provides, in theory, substantial improvements in three areas: throughput, latency, and density. These three objectives are in competition, and the 5G technologies aim to try to provide the best answers possible, knowing that we can not satisfy them simultaneously. The idea is to use a software architecture to adapt to the different needs of a device, according to these three parameters (latency, bit rate and density), so-called network slicing .

Finally flows from the fiber level

The most obvious contribution claimed by 5G, and which stems directly from the improvements offered by previous generations, is the promise of even higher throughput. This is a natural evolution: the uses change, the 4K will not be long in generalizing, the 8K will follow, streaming becomes the standard in terms of video, and will become popular in more and more areas like the cloud gaming or virtual reality. So many uses that demand more speed to eliminate the border, which is no longer necessary, between our fixed and nomadic devices.

The 5G promises speeds around at least 100 Mbit / s average perceived by the user, can climb much higher in the best case. We are talking about a maximum of 20 Gbit / s. Obviously, as for 4G, everything is in "  the best case  ". One can argue that we do not necessarily need such flows for mobile use. As it is currently conceived, perhaps not, but by thinking broadly, with devices that erase the boundaries between smartphone, tablet and PC, the cards are rebated. And in the end, the 5G, it is also the way, as it is said above, to fight against the digital desert and bring very high speed in the countryside where the fiber does not pass.

Significantly lower latency

More than the constantly increasing bitrate, it is probably on the reduction of latency that the 5G could really make the difference. It would go from 10 to 1 ms ideally. The throughput obviously has importance for downlink data transmission. The latency, it opens perspectives on the interactivity which can completely upset the uses, in particular professionals.

Of course, this is a boon for autonomous driving . The automobile is also an area in which Qualcomm is already working in collaboration with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team. We are still far from large-scale applications in the consumer car, but it is nevertheless part of the development axes of technology.

Ultra-low latency can also provide solutions for digitizing industry or medicine. Telesurgery is one of ITU's focus objectives. All this is of course rather distant and may seem idealized. These are potential uses that can be made possible by an effective deployment of 5G, which does not mean that in two years we can all be operated remotely by robots!

To give a more concrete dimension to this technology, Bouygues Telecom has demonstrated some real-time uses that will become possible from a distance thanks to 5G. For example, it is about driving a car, carrying out maintenance work or even treating someone , all tens of kilometers away.

Increased density

Last major promise of 5G, ultra connectivity allows a greater density of devices connected to the km². Here, the most obvious use that we see is the Internet of Things. Here, the objective is to be able to multiply the devices with low consumption, and requiring reduced flows, in very large numbers on the same zone. We think of all uses connected home type that could benefit from this gain without overloading the network.

5G is for when?

It will be understood that the 5G is still in the draft state, and undergoing tests. Concretely, we are entering a phase of experimentation, which should continue until 2019. Test initiatives should multiply over this period. Orange is talking about tests until mid 2019 in France, and intends to cover at least one city on that date.

Currently, tests are conducted in Marseille, Lille and Douai by Orange, Bordeaux by Bouygues Telecom and Nantes and Toulouse by SFR. Free has not yet communicated on this subject and may well be a little behind on its competitors .

Qualcomm Design Reference 5G

It is also in 2019 that the first 5G compatible terminals should arrive, probably equipped in part with a Qualcomm X50 modem. We can therefore deduce that before 2020, there will be no massive deployment of 5G, although it is possible that the early adopters can already benefit. A Finnish operator even claims to have already started the commercial use of 5G .

In the meantime, the deadline is approaching and the question of the replacement of the equipment arises. Frankly, if you have arrived in a period of renewal, waiting for the 5G early 2018 is not necessary: ​​we are still too far from deployment and with too much uncertainty. If you plan to change mobile at the end of the year or early 2019, however, reflection will begin to prevail, depending on the availability of models and what they actually bring. Patience is therefore appropriate, but the technology is more than promising. Strongly following!