Here are some 5G trends for year 2020:
It looked like 5G and wireless dominated the airways in 2019. It seems that year 2020 will be a real test for 5G if it will really take on or fails to full-fill the big expectations. It seems that 5G networks are available at some place here and there from many operators, but 5G end user devices are not yet widely available or desired. New year will bring more 5G base stations.
5G: How Much is Real vs. Marketing? Is 5G ready for prime time? Breaking down the marketing hype versus what’s really going on in the industry. Marketing claims 5G is pervasive. The question is when: 2020 or is it 2025?
First, let’s define 5G also known as 5G New Radio, or 5G NR:
There is sub-6-GHz 5G for the cellphone protocol that requires LTE: 5G NSA.
There is sub-6-GHz standalone 5G: 5G SA.
There is 20- to 60-GHz 5G: 5G mmWave.
It seems that 2020 will be the real test for 5G devices as the 5G device mass market has not yet really started. Samsung says it shipped 6.7M+ Galaxy 5G phones globally in 2019, accounting for 53.9% of the 5G phone market (Galaxy S10 5G and the Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G). 2020 is expected to be an interesting year for 5G growth across the smartphone market. Increased 5G rollouts by carriers means that customers will presumably be more interested in actually buying 5G devices. One June 2019 forecast made by Canalys has global 5G smartphone shipments crossing 4G smartphone shipments in 2023.
5G will be integrated to some PCs. Dell debuts a new Latitude 9510 laptop with built-in 5G, to launch March 26.
Ericsson says they are now 5G networks leader according to Ericsson ylitti odotukset kirkkaasti: ”Olemme 5g-johtaja” article. Nokia has cut its outlook for this year and next because of the need to step up its investments in 5G but ‘We don’t have a 5G problem,’ says Nokia’s head of software.
5G will be a good growing market for test device manufacturers as engineers will once again need to sharpen their skill sets and adopt new design and testing techniques. A lot of 5G Component Characterization and Test will be needed.Delivering 5G Devices to Market Will Bank on OTA Testing.
Network side needs also testing equipment. One approach being adopted to gain ground in the race to 5G involves the rapid prototyping and testing of network architectures. There is need for programmable RF devices. Industry seems to want their own private networks.
5G components are available from many sources already. The typical RF component suppliers are all providing 5G solutions: Avago/Broadcom, Huawei, MediaTek, Murata/pSemi (previously known as Peregrine), Qualcomm, Qorvo, Samsung, and Skyworks.
Challenges: Even the sub-6-GHz versions have technical issues in that the 5G target “air time” latency is 1 to 4 ms. Typical RF component manufacturers appear to be providing components that focus only on the sub-6-GHz frequency bands. The geopolitical situation relative to 5G also adds confusion to the 5G timeline.
There are many technical issues must be considered in the utilization of mmWave: mmWave frequencies travel relatively small distances. the mmWave transmitters consume a considerable amount of transmit power, providing additional challenges for battery-operated devices.
5G in automotive: The automobile industry is experiencing exponential growth of self-driving features, and this trend is expected to continue. 5G network connections are expected to have a major influence on the development of self-driving cars making them faster, smarter, and safer. Where is car technology going in 2020?
As 5G work has started for many installers and marketers, the the researchers are already thinking about the nest step Beyond 5G chips. They are already planning technologies that could enable high-speed wireless devices beyond the 5G standard.
1,540 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11018-ericssonilla-jo-sata-5g-sopimusta
Tomi Engdahl says:
Remove Those Bottlenecks to Unleash the Promise of 5G
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/systems/article/21138090/remove-those-bottlenecks-to-unleash-the-promise-of-5g
5G will enable new types of very high-performance applications, from gaming and AR/VR to machine learning, but they must be equipped with the right hardware to support required performance levels. The right storage solutions can help meet these demands.
The arrival of 5G is expected to bring an unforeseen level of network capabilities and lightning-fast data-transfer rates. 5G has the potential to reach latencies of less than 10 ms, which would be between four to five times faster than current 4G speeds. The speed of the network and its massive capabilities will change how data can increasingly improve our lives with the valuable insights it provides.
For example, although we’re some steps away from the all-independent self-driving car, connected cars are getting smarter and omnipresent by the day. Inspired by rich mobile user experiences, cars are evolving into mobile devices with high-resolution screens, customizable interfaces, the ability to update and install applications, and more immersive features.
With sensors, cameras, safety, and entertainment features, cars are becoming a massive data-creation hub, or a data center on wheels, enabled by 5G networks. And as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications evolve, the speed at which data is transferred becomes potentially life-changing.
Then there’s the wider world of sensors, machines, and connected devices. There are more networked devices than people in the world, and some predict that half of the global connected devices and connections will be M2M connections by 2023.
Virtually every market segment and industry will see a growth of 5G-enabled devices. But these devices can only exist if they have the architectures to support them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Accelerate 5G Network Transformation
Infinera’s 5G solutions leverage open, disaggregated platforms to deliver high-performance, evolution-ready, and operationally simple 5G transport with advanced network automation from Layer 0 through Layer 3.
https://www.infinera.com/solutions/5G?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT1RkbFlXWmtaV1F3TlRrMCIsInQiOiJnQkFQdUptXC9XV2o0YndrZGJBZHZ3QVVLNTUyS3FQWFd2TmtyTThNUDdLUkRKVHBzSTE5bWRoN0wxQXdDRVZnVUNwMHNFQkVOUjNTR3IreFdvVE1va0k4dzZNWUloRDhDZ0dSWXNpRUo3SmFObm1VRXZWTFA2TnVvV0NlUHJ3VFUifQ%3D%3D
Tomi Engdahl says:
Remove Those Bottlenecks to Unleash the Promise of 5G
5G will enable new types of very high-performance applications, from gaming and AR/VR to machine learning, but they must be equipped with the right hardware to support required performance levels. The right storage solutions can help meet these demands.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/industrial-automation/article/21138087/remove-those-bottlenecks-to-unleash-the-promise-of-5g?utm_source=EG+ED+IoT+for+Engineers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200807037&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design and verify 5G systems, part 1
https://www.edn.com/design-and-verify-5g-systems-part-1/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=link&utm_medium=EDNWeekly-20200813
Tomi Engdahl says:
Milloin 5g kattaa Suomen? Vastaus tähän ja 24:ään muuhun
5g-kysymykseen
https://www.tivi.fi/uutiset/tv/813d38f5-68df-4a5f-b3b3-4319965a6790
Mihin 5g-verkkoa tarvitaan? Milloin se leviää kaupunkien ulkopuolelle?
Onko 5g-mastojen säteily vaarallista? Tivin sisarjulkaisu Mikrobitti
pyysi kevään ja kesän aikana esittämään mieltä askarruttavia
kysymyksiä 5g:stä. Niitä tuli valtavasti, joten esitimme ne
operaattoreille, Traficomille, Säteilyturvakeskukselle ja
Aalto-yliopistolle.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11032-5g-lapparit-markkinoille-ensi-vuoden-alussa
Tomi Engdahl says:
Steve Dent / Engadget:
ZTE says it will unveil Axon 20 5G, the first “mass-produced” smartphone with an under-display camera, on September 1; leak hints at a 6.92″ display and more
https://www.engadget.com/zte-axon-20-5g-will-have-the-first-underdisplay-camera-065530680.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
IMS 2020: Analog Devices to Develop 5G Networking Hardware with Intel
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/semiconductors/article/21138435/analog-devices-to-develop-open-5g-networking-hardware-with-intel?utm_source=RF+MWRF+Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200805062&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Analog Devices said it has partnered with Intel roll out a 5G radio solution that meets the emerging OpenRAN standard, for open radio access networks. The standard could help create alternatives to the proprietary gear sold by Huawei and others.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5G Smartphones Could Crush Your Home Wi-Fi. So Where’s the 5G?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/5g-smartphones-could-crush-your-home-wi-fi-so-wheres-the-5g-11597670710
New 5G smartphones from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon can provide speeds 10 times faster than your home Wi-Fi, but that depends on a number of conditions
“You know, this internet connection is just too fast. Please slow it down. Maybe just as my boss asks me something important in a video call,” said…no one in 2020.
With so many people dragging along with subpar broadband, you’d think there would be more buzz around the arrival of the blazing fast 5G mobile networks and their accompanying smartphones. They’re like the Incredibles, here to save us from careening off the broadband cliff, right? Except…well, a lot of excepts.
First, let’s clear up a few things. This isn’t the 5G setting on your home Wi-Fi router (that’s 5 GHz), nor the 5GE that you might see on an AT&T smartphone (that’s just better 4G).
Most of that isn’t quite ready, but what is? A bunch of new 5G phones, including an expected iPhone, that are required to tap the speeds of these new networks.
Just some tiny issues: Finding the optimal and fastest 5G connection is like searching for a Tic Tac in a Target. And when you do find it, there just isn’t a ton you can do with it just on your phone.
Finding 1: So freakin’ fast—in the right spot.
Let’s review some stats: On Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network in Jersey City, N.J., still in prelaunch testing, I consistently hit 1,300 megabits per second in download speed tests. That’s bananas. B-a-n-a-n-a-s!
Finding 2: Not all 5G is equal.
Most people won’t see that sort of speed very often. On Verizon, when you leave an area with millimeter-wave coverage, now only available in parts of 36 markets, your phone reverts to 4G.
Finding 3: T-Mobile is the current best bet.
After three weeks of testing, I was left wanting a T-Mobile 5G phone. The network consistently delivered great speed wherever I went. Plus, with the Sprint acquisition, T-Mobile will be launching even faster sub-6 coverage, referred to as mid-band 5G.
Finding 4: 5G isn’t really for smartphones.
When I asked executives at each of the big carriers where I’d really experience the 5G speed on a smartphone, they all said variations of the same thing: 5G will unlock the technology of the future, but for now…hefty downloads!
Finding 5: Home is where the 5G should be.
I found 5G to be far faster than the nationwide average home-internet speed, 86 Mbps, reported by Ookla.
Finding 6: 5G doesn’t cost more…right now.
If you’re wondering how much more 5G service is going to cost you, the answer depends on the plan you currently have. If you have an unlimited plan with one of the carriers, chances are, it isn’t much more.
Finding 7: 5G freaks some people out.
Written on one of the 5G Verizon poles in my Jersey City neighborhood: “5G FOR UR BRAIN FRY.” An engineer working on a pole in the area said he has been harassed and carries a form letter from Verizon to provide to neighbors who are seeking more information about the health and property concerns the poles elicit.
Finding 8: The 5G marketing hype is strong.
hyping the hype out of why you can’t live without it and how it’s going to change everything. “We believe 5G will unleash a whole new set of experiences down the road and it will have a profound impact on society,”
He may not be wrong. A decade ago, 4G unlocked a whole new class of mobile applications, and many, many billion-dollar businesses. So we don’t know what 5G will bring.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5G-liittymiä 2,8 miljardia vuoteen 2025 mennessä
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11040-5g-liittymia-2-8-miljardia-vuoteen-2025-mennessa
Tutkimuslaitos Buy Shares ennustaa, että 5G-tilaajien määrä kasvaa globaalisti 2,7 miljardiin vuoteen 2025 mennessä. Tämä tarkoittaa, että neljän vuoden kuluttua useammalla kuin joka kolmannella ihmisellä on käytössään 5G-yhteys. Eniten 5G-käyttäjiä tulee ennusteen mukaan olemaan Koillis-Aasiassa, yhteensä 1,3 miljardia.
Kun tämän vuoden lopulla 5G-liittymä on noin 80 miljoonalla käyttäjällä, tulee liittymien määrä kasvamaan yli 3391 prosenttia. Ensi vuonna käyttäjien määrä kasvaa 243 miljoonaan ja vuonna 2022 jo 680 miljoonssn.
Vuonna 2011 LTE-verkon peittoaste oli 5 prosenttia maailmanlaajuisesti, kun tämä vuoden lopussa LTE kattaa 83 prosenttia maailman väestöstä. Vuonna 2025 4G-verkot kattavat alueen, jolla asuu 91 prosenttia ihmisistä.
5G:n peittoalue on tällä hetkellä noin 7 prosenttia. Vuoteen 2025 mennessä verkkoja rakennetaan niin, että 55 prosenttia maapallon väestöstä asuu verkkojan kantaman sisällä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vector #SignalGenerators cover the #5G NR extended FR1 frequency range up to 7.125 GHz for use in the automotive, #IoT & education sectors Rohde & Schwarz #test
Vector signal generator creates 5G NR signals
https://www.edn.com/vector-signal-generator-creates-5g-nr-signals/?utm_content=buffer947d1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=edn_facebook&utm_campaign=buffer
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/systems/article/21139283/phasedarray-antenna-patterns-part-3lineararray-beam-characteristics-and-array-factor?utm_source=RF+MWRF+Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200814018&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/analog/article/21138848/jesd204c-a-new-fast-interface-standard-for-critical-applications?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200814070&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/08/20/26-28-gigahertsin-5g-koeverkko-pietariin/
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11045-pietarissa-testataan-5g-pelaamista-nokian-laitteilla
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11046-toisen-polven-5g-tuki-matkalla-edullisempiin-puhelimiin
Tomi Engdahl says:
Huawei: 5G Is About Capacity, Not Speed
One-on-one with CTO Paul Scanlan.
https://semiengineering.com/where-5g-makes-sense-and-where-it-doesnt/
Scanlan: 5G is a platform for transformation. The first obvious use case of 5G is it’s cheaper than 4G, 3G or 2G. If you have growth in a data market — and we have growth in every single country in the world in data, and the number is around 25% to 30% — 5G will always be cheaper than 4G or anything else. The reason is capacity. It’s not about speed. It’s not about latency. It’s about capacity, and 5G has 20 to 30 times more capacity than with 4G. If the equipment and hardware costs are similar number, obviously it’s better. Second use case is that it’s more efficient. If you keep building 4G, 3G or 2G networks and there’s growth, then you will double the carbon footprint for the mobile network. If you build 5G and you build even the worst case scenario, which is the slowest deployment, carbon emissions will more or less stay flat from now till 2025 and then start to drop. And I was on a webinar just a couple of weeks ago, and one of the comments was, ‘I don’t understand how that could possibly be. You need to have more sites and more densification for certain applications.’ Yes, but just think about the demand.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MediaTek pings Italy with ’5G’ Internet-of-Things data beam from geostationary satellite 35,000 kilometres up
That’s a spicy meatball
https://www.theregister.com/2020/08/19/mediatek_satellite_5g/
MediaTek has successfully demonstrated a “5G” data transfer using an Inmarsat Alphasat geostationary satellite, located 35,000 kilometres above the equator.
At the other end of the exchange was a MediaTek base station system located at Italy’s Fucino Space Center. The ground equipment used a platform powered by the Taiwanese fabless manufacturer’s NB-IoT chipset.
NB-IoT stands for NarrowBand-Internet of Things, a standards-based low power wide area (LPWA) network technology included under the 5G umbrella.
MediaTek said the results will contribute to the telco standards bods at 3GPP’s efforts to steer the development of non-terrestrial networks, which promise to expand connectivity to remote IoT devices. The chip giant also reckons it’ll help open the door to hybrid systems, which can take advantage of both satellite-based and conventional terrestrial cellular networks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MIPI RFFE Version 3.0: More Precise Timing for 5G Components
The third iteration of MIPI Alliance’s RF front-end interface specification is here, and it brings significant technical advances for 5G designers.
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/systems/article/21139595/mipi-rffe-version-30-more-precise-timing-for-5g-components
Bill Wong, Electronic Design’s Senior Editor and Content Director, talks with Jim Ross, chair of the MIPI RF Front-End Control Working Group, about how MIPI RFFE v3.0 relates to the ongoing 5G global rollout.
What types of developers would especially welcome the arrival of MIPI RFFE v3.0?
Anyone doing wireless communications and connecting to the 5G network is going to be interested in this new version of MIPI RFFE. In the 2G and 3G communications eras, it was almost strictly mobile applications that were concerned with control of the radio-frequency front end (RFFE). But 5G is bringing widespread change across all wireless communications—across the Internet of Things (IoT), industrial applications, automotive applications, and so on.
In this way, RF control for all of the wireless components that undergird these varied applications is foundational to 5G rollout everywhere. MIPI RFFE already is established as the de facto industry standard for control of the RF front end, so the release of this new version benefits everyone leveraging the 5G network moving forward.
How does v3.0 change business opportunities for RF device vendors, baseband and transceiver vendors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), or other users?
The technical advances of RFFE v3.0 allow OEMs and device vendors to quickly migrate to 5G systems without changing the physical layer of the interface. This backward compatibility is crucial. MIPI RFFE already has a large ecosystem of adopters and devices; the interface has been implemented in billions of devices using wireless connectivity worldwide—handsets, smartwatches, automobiles, and more.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IMS 2020: Novel RF Switch Technology for 5G Devices
https://www.mwrf.com/technologies/semiconductors/article/21138419/ims-2020-novel-rf-switch-technology-for-5g-devices?utm_source=RF+MWRF+Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200814019&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
The contract chip manufacturer said the new RF switch technology has the most advanced RF figure of merit on the market, giving the resulting devices improved insertion loss and a very small footprint.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Extending TSN capabilities over 5G and other wireless networks
Time-sensitive networking (TSN) has gained more attention from manufacturers as capabilities like 5G become more accessible. Benefits include faster communications, better mobility and high reliability.
https://www.controleng.com/articles/extending-tsn-capabilities-over-5g-and-other-wireless-networks/?oly_enc_id=0462E3054934E2U
Time-sensitive networking (TSN) is gaining traction in manufacturing applications as capabilities like 5G become more accessible. Fast and precise communications are needed. Dave Cavalcanti, principal engineer, Intel; Stephen Bush, senior scientist, GE; Alon Regev, senior director, product development, Keysight Technologies, who are members of the Avnu Alliance, offer some insight on TSN’s benefits for manufacturers and what the future holds.
Question: Why is time-sensitive networking (TSN) receiving attention from the wireless standards and protocols industry? What does the market look like?
Cavalcanti: The IEEE 802.1 Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards have seen a lot of growth in the past three to five years in the industrial space, becoming a more frequently implemented technology in the IIoT and on factory floors. At the same time, other markets, like professional media (audio/video), are also expanding the adoption of TSN capabilities, with solutions like the Milan protocol, creating a link between AV, IT, and silicon to enable a true IT convergence.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://global.techradar.com/fi-fi/news/5g-verkot
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Immense Potential and Daunting Challenges of 5G
https://www.eletimes.com/the-immense-potential-and-daunting-challenges-of-5g
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://global.techradar.com/fi-fi/news/mita-eroa-5glla-ja-4glla-on-kaytannossa
Tomi Engdahl says:
Electronic components join forces to take up 10 times less space on computer chips
https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/200932628
Electronic filters are part of the inner workings of our phones and other wireless devices. They eliminate or enhance specific input signals to achieve the desired output signals. They are essential, but take up space on the chips that researchers are on a constant quest to make smaller. A new study demonstrates the successful integration of the individual elements that make up electronic filters onto a single component, significantly reducing the amount of space taken up by the device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.dna.fi/yrityksille/nain-siirryt-5g-aikaan-opas-suomalaisille-yrityksille?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=linkad&utm_content=opas_nain_siirryt_5g_aikaan_opas_suomalaisille_yrityksille&utm_campaign=all_jatkuva_some_20
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://global.techradar.com/fi-fi/news/mihin-5g-nopeuksia-tarvitaan-vastaus-loytyy-kymmenen-vuoden-takaa?utm_campaign=spons-dna&utm_content=2020-08-06+-+FI+-+SPONS+DNA+-+%22Hvorfor+5G%3F%22
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/08/27/helsinki-ja-turku-testaavat-360-asteen-5g-virtuaalitekniikkaa/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jeremy Horwitz / VentureBeat:
Opensignal report: US average 5G speeds (50.9 Mbps), just 1.8x 4G speeds (28.9 Mbps), lag behind the rest of the world; South Korea and Saudi Arabia lead
Opensignal: U.S. 5G speeds slump as other countries leap ahead
https://venturebeat.com/2020/08/26/opensignal-u-s-5g-speeds-slump-as-other-countries-leap-ahead/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The new report looks at the average 5G download speeds across the globe, with South Korean users seeing 5.3 times faster average 5G speeds than 4G — 312.7Mbps — followed by Australia (215.7Mbps), Taiwan (210.2Mbps), and Canada (178.1Mbps). Saudi Arabia’s 5G gap is even more pronounced at 14.3 times the speed of 4G (averaging 414.2Mbps), but in the United States the difference is a mere 1.8 times, and slow in both cases: 28.9Mbps for 4G versus 50.9Mbps for 5G. Average U.S. 5G performance was actually slower than in the Opensignal study published in May, while other countries have increased their download speeds.
https://venturebeat.com/2020/08/26/opensignal-u-s-5g-speeds-slump-as-other-countries-leap-ahead/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Miners in China work from home using 5G-enabled machinery to do heavy lifting
Work from home for blue collar workers
https://mothership.sg/2020/08/china-miners-5g-machinery/
The company, China Molybdenum, has applied 5G technology in the Sandaozhuang mine in central China since 2019, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
5G technology applied to production at Sandaozhuang Mine in Henan
Since 2019, 5G technology has been applied to production at Sandaozhuang Mine of China Molybdenum Co., Ltd. in Luanchuan County, central China’s Henan Province. With its high speed and low latency, the technology enables workers to remotely control vehicles and machineries at the mine with precision.
The technological feat is allowing blue collar workers to work in silos as the world continues to be ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
CCTV said 5G technology enables workers to remotely control equipment at the mine with precision, owing to the high speed and low latency connectivity.
This translates to workers being able to see what they are doing in real-time as they carry out rough but delicate work on site.
The use of such images is to show China’s progress with technology and perhaps even a nod to Huawei.
However, it does not reveal any shortcomings and the early stages of the technology’s deployment.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Will 5G blow up the fronthaul network?
https://www.edn.com/will-5g-blow-up-the-fronthaul-network/?utm_content=buffer7d6fc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=edn_facebook&utm_campaign=buffer
We all know the 5G promise: ultra-fast speed and higher responsiveness (lower latency), but have you ever really thought about what that means to the network behind the cell tower? Several aspects of 5G are conspiring to potentially overwhelm the fronthaul network—one of the links between your phone and the internet.
Consider your experience using the currently-deployed 4G LTE network. When a lot of people start using their phones at the same time, like at halftime in a packed stadium, or when a plane lands and everyone powers their phones back on, the connection speed seems to grind to a halt and network responsiveness goes to zero. What happens when each of those phones is trying to stream 4K video or process downloads at 100× the current 4G speeds?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Some of the challenges include:
Changes to 4G architecture: C-RAN, fronthaul and backhaul
5G – increased data, new technologies, multiple signals
Testing systems before committing to silicon to provide better coverage
Adding AI to the mix
Leveraging emulation before silicon is built
The old ways of verifying and stressing silicon after the first round of chips have been built are no longer viable. There are too many options to consider; there are too many configurations and architectures that must be proven out.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5G for Manufacturing & Industrial Automation
https://www.sealevel.com/2020/08/27/5g-for-manufacturing-industrial-automation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qualcomm ja Ericsson: läpimurto 5G-verkoissa
https://etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11079&via=n&datum=2020-08-27_15:12:24&mottagare=30929
Qualcomm Technologies ja Ericsson ovat tänään ilmoittaneet saaneensa menestyksellä päätökseen yhteentoimivuustestauksen, joka antaa operaattoreille ja laitevalmistajille mahdollisuuden 5G-kantoaaltojen yhdistämiseen. Kyseessä on 5G-määritysten keskeinen ominaisuus, joka nostaa suorituskykyä, kapasiteettia ja peittoa nopeasti kasvavissa 5G-verkoissa.
Qualcomm ja Ericsson suorittivat onnistuneesti maailman ensimmäisen ns. ensimmäisen polven 5G-standalone-verkkojen kantoaaltojen yhdistämisen FDD/TDD- ja TDD/TDD-taajuuksilla (FDD=taajuusjakoinen, TDD=aikajakoinen).
Tekniikan ansiosta operaattorit voivat yhdistää usean alle kuuden gigahertsin eli ns.mid band -taajuuskanavan samanaikaisen käytön tiedonsiirrossa tukiasemien ja 5G-mobiililaitteiden välillä. Tämä keskeinen 5G-ominaisuus tulee laajasti käyttöön operaattoreiden keskuudessa ympäri maailmaa ensi vuonna.
Testit suoritettiin Ericssonin Pekingin laboratoriossa Kiinassa. Samaan linkkiin yhdistettiin 100+60 megahertsiä 2,5 gigahertsin TDD-kaistalla käyttämällä 4×4 MIMO -konfiguraatiota. Tällä päästiin 2,5 gigabitin datanopeuteen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/08/28/5g-kantoaallot-yhteen-kiinassa/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mikrobitti testasi operaattorien 5g-nopeudet – testikolmikosta yksi tuotti pettymyksen
https://www.mikrobitti.fi/uutiset/mikrobitti-testasi-operaattorien-5g-nopeudet-testikolmikosta-yksi-tuotti-pettymyksen/6bd22e93-0fca-4af2-8be8-917a4a39fec6
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dynamic #spectrum sharing will enable mobile #network operators to expand #5G coverage; here are the implementation challenges and solutions Keysight https://buff.ly/3jh5ljA
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://semiengineering.com/week-in-review-auto-security-pervasive-computing-30/
5G
Cadence’s millimeter wave (mmWave) reference flow is now certified for semiconductor foundry UMC’s 28HPC+ process technology. The flow is based on UMC’s Foundry Design Kit (FDK) — through which customers can design a transceiver IC — and includes design capture, simulation and layout implementation through Cadence’s Virtuoso and Spectre products; and parasitic extraction and analysis of interconnects at the transistor-level and across transistors using Cadence’s Quantus Extraction and EMX or AWR ASIEM 3D Planar simulators.
Qualcomm and Ericsson say they achieved first hurdle in 5G carrier aggregation by making it through interoperability tests for 5G standalone (SA) carrier aggregation across both FDD/TDD1 and TDD/TDD bands. Operators will be able to use multiple sub-6 GHz spectrum channels simultaneously to transfer data between base stations and a 5G mobile device.
Security
The GSMA announced that mobile network equipment makers Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia and ZTE passed the new jointly developed 3GPP/GSMA Network Security Assurance Schemes (NESAS) standards, which assessed their product development and lifecycle management processes. The network equipment must support 3GPP defined functions and show a commitment to good security practices. Qualified test laboratories run security tests on the vendors’ equipment and produce a report that goes to the vendor. Ericsson’s 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) is now fully compliant says the company. Huawei reported that its 5G wireless and core network equipment — its 5G RAN gNodeB, 5G Core UDG, UDM, UNC, UPCF and LTE eNodeB — passed GSMA’s NESAS. The GSMA welcomes requests from qualified laboratories to be listed as a NESAS security test laboratory. Test laboratories need to be ISO/IEC 17025 accredited.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5G Mobile Network Security: U.S. Government’s Strategy
https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-news/5g-doh-strategy/
The Department of Homeland Security’s cyber wing has released a five
point plan to safeguard the nation’s budding 5G mobile network
infrastructure against cyber threats.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/08/31/pohjoismaiden-ensimmainen-itsenainen-5g-tiedonsiirtoyhteys/
Nykyiset 5G-palvelut tuotetaan hyödyntäen sekä 5G- että 4G-verkkoa. Elisa ja Ericsson ovat nyt testanneet ensimmäistä kertaa suoraa tiedonsiirtoa itsenäisessä 5G-verkossa. Tämä mahdollistaa jopa kymmenen kertaa 4G-verkkoa nopeammat tietoliikenneyhteydet.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Power Amp Wars Begin For 5G
Companies are working with different materials and approaches in different regions.
https://semiengineering.com/power-amp-wars-begin-for-5g/
Demand is increasing for power amplifier chips and other RF devices for 5G base stations, setting the stage for a showdown among different companies and technologies.
The power amplifier device is a key component that boosts the RF power signals in base stations. It’s based on two competitive technologies, silicon-based LDMOS or RF gallium nitride (GaN). GaN, a III-V technology, outperforms LDMOS, making it ideal for the high-frequency requirements for 5G. But GaN is expensive with some challenges in the fab. And LDMOS (laterally-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor) has some limitations, but it isn’t going away.
Nonetheless, 5G is a fast-moving but complex market. In just one part of the supply chain, device makers manufacture RF chips like power amplifiers in fabs. From there the devices are shipped to base station vendors for integration. A so-called macro base station is a system located at a cell tower, which provides RF wireless coverage over a wide area.
Generally, the power amplifier device for previous-generation 3G base stations were based on LDMOS. LDMOS, a mature and inexpensive technology, took the early lead in the 4G base station market. Over time, GaN power amps made significant inroads in 4G, at the expense of LDMOS. Power amplifiers are small circuits that convert a low-power RF signal into a higher power signal in base stations and other systems. The power amplifier isn’t the only device in the base station. These other devices are based on various processes.
Nonetheless, GaN-based power amps also are gaining steam in 5G. As in 4G, China’s base station vendors are adopting GaN-based power amp devices for their initial deployments of 5G systems in China. Other base station vendors are following suit.
There are several reasons for that. 5G, a next-generation wireless technology that’s faster than today’s 4G, is being deployed in two different areas – sub-6GHz and mmWave (28GHz and above). Generally, at higher frequencies, LDMOS runs out of steam, prompting the need for GaN. Compared to LDMOS, GaN has higher power densities and operates over a much wider frequency range.
“The need for dense, small-scale antenna arrays in 5G infrastructure is resulting in key challenges around power and thermal management in RF systems. With their improved wideband performance, efficiency and power density, GaN devices offer the potential for more compact solutions that can address these challenges,”
LDMOS isn’t going away, though. Some mobile operators are deploying both low- and high-frequency bands for 5G. LDMOS is suited for the lower bands. So both GaN and LDMOS will find a place in 5G. “In macro stations, GaN has gradually been taking market share from LDMOS following its wide adoption in Huawei’s 4G LTE infrastructure equipment,” said Ezgi Dogmus, an analyst at Yole Développement. “In the sub-6GHz regime in 5G we see tough competition between LDMOS and GaN in lower-power active antenna systems. GaN is being adopted in bands where large bandwidth capacity is needed.”
Regardless, the numbers are staggering. The total GaN RF market will increase from $740 million to more than $2 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 12%, according to Yole. Telecom infrastructure and military radar are the main drivers for RF GaN.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple is building ~75M 5G iPhones for later this year, along with two new Apple Watch versions, iPad Air with edge-to-edge screen, and smaller HomePod — – Headphones, new Watch models, iPad Air, smaller HomePod coming — Supply chain, consumer interest hold up in pandemic, recession
Apple Preparing 75 Million 5G iPhones Alongside New Watches and iPad
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-01/apple-targets-75-million-5g-iphones-for-fall-product-blitz
Apple Inc. has asked suppliers to build at least 75 million 5G iPhones for later this year, roughly in line with last year’s launch, in a sign that demand for the company’s most important product is holding up in the midst of the global pandemic and recession.
The Cupertino, California-based technology giant anticipates shipments of these next-generation iPhones may reach as high as 80 million units in 2020, according to people familiar with the situation. Apple plans to launch four new models in October with fifth-generation wireless speeds, a different design and a wider choice of screen sizes, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing unannounced products.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5G-signaali ylsi 3,8 kilometrin päähän millimetriaalloilla
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11089-5g-signaali-ylsi-3-8-kilometrin-paahan-millimetriaalloilla
Qualcomm Technologies, Casa Systems ja Ericsson ovat soittaneet maailman ensimmäisen pitkän etäisyyden 5G NR -datapuhelun millimetriaaltotaajuuksilla. 3,8 kilometrin etäisyyteen yltänyt datapuhelu soitettiin Victorian alueella Australiassa kesäkuussa.
Onnistunut datapuhelu osoittaa, että mmWave-teknologia soveltuu erinomaisesti kiinteisiin 5G-yhteyksiin. Lisäksi saavutus mahdollistaa 5G:n valjastamisen kiinteiden laajakaista- sekä muiden palvelujen käyttöön kaupunki-, lähiö- ja maaseutuympäristöissä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
OnePlus Nord teki historiaa
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11090-oneplus-nord-teki-historiaa
OnePlus Nord nousi Elisan ja Telian elokuun myydyimpien puhelimien kärkeen ja oli näin historian ensimmäinen kuukauden myydyin 5G-puhelin Suomessa. Myös DNA:n listalla Nord oli toiseksi myydyin puhelin.
Elisan henkilöasiakkaiden myynnistä vastaavan Ville Valkaman mukaan Nordin nouseminen listan kärkeen osoittaa, että Suomessa on siirrytty uuteen vaiheeseen 5G-aikakaudella Suomessa. – 5G-laitteiden myynti on selvästi kasvussa, joten vaikuttaa siltä, että asiakkaamme pyrkivät tekemään puhelinhankinnan tulevaisuutta silmällä pitäen, Valkama arvioi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/09/01/5g-puhelimien-myynti-kaynnistyi-voimalla/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qualcomm Doubles 5G mmWave Range To 2.36 Miles For Broadband Modems
https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/20/08/31/221244/qualcomm-doubles-5g-mmwave-range-to-236-miles-for-broadband-modems?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
As 5G networks have continued to spread across the world, the biggest issue with ultra-fast millimeter wave (mmWave) towers has been their short transmission distance, which is generally measured in city blocks rather than miles. Today, Qualcomm announced a breakthrough in mmWave transmission range, successfully achieving a 5G data connection over a 3.8-kilometer (2.36-mile) distance — over twice the range originally promised by its long-range QTM527 antenna system last year.
Qualcomm doubles 5G mmWave range to 2.36 miles for broadband modems
https://venturebeat.com/2020/08/31/qualcomm-doubles-5g-mmwave-range-to-2-36-miles-for-broadband-modems/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tim Hardwick / MacRumors:
Kuo: shipments of Apple’s mmWave-enabled 5G iPhones could be several million units lower than expected this year and next, due to the impact of the pandemic
Kuo: mmWave 5G iPhone Shipments Likely to Be Weaker Than Expected in 2020-21
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/09/01/kuo-mmwave-5g-iphone-shipments-weak-2-years/?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4
Apple’s upcoming iPhone 12 models will all include 5G support, and several rumors have suggested that some if not all the new iPhones coming this fall will support both sub-6GHz and mmWave networks, which are two different 5G technologies that carriers are rolling out.
The fastest technology, mmWave, will be used in dense areas like major cities. The longer-distance sub-6GHz networks will be available more broadly in urban, suburban and rural areas. Due to the impact of the global health crisis, however, shipments of Apple’s mmWave-enabled 5G iPhones could be weaker than expected this year and next year, according to reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11097-telefonican-5g-verkko-rakennetaan-pilveen
5G-verkkojen arkkitehtuuri mahdollistaa uusia toteutustapoja, kuten core-verkon siirtämisen kokonaan pilvipohjaiseksi. Telefónica / O2 on ensimmäinen saksalainen verkko-operaattori, joka on rakentanut sen 5g-ydinverkon ja keskeiset 5g-verkkotoiminnot pilveen Amazonin tuella.
Telefónica Saksa / O2 käyttää Amazon Web Servicesiä (AWS) ja sen testattua pilvi-infrastruktuuria 5G-coreverkon virtualisointiin. Laitetoimittajana projektissa on Ericsson. 5G-coreverkon virtualisointi alkaa nyt ja kaupallistaminen ensi vuonna.
AWS:n mukaan uusien toimialakohtaisien ratkaisujen kehittäminen on nopeampaa pilvipohjaisen 5g-ydinverkon kautta. Lisäksi tuotanto- ja logistiikkaprosessit voidaan automatisoida pidemmälle ja sovellukset ottaa reaaliajassa käyttöön.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dynamic #spectrum sharing will enable mobile #network operators to expand #5G coverage; here are the implementation challenges and solutions Keysight
https://buff.ly/32Luaxo