It is predicted that commercialization of 5G mobile network might get pushed forward to 2018. Global mobile network providers and standardization organizations are giving shape to standards for preceding technologies such as eMBB (enhanced Mobile BroadBand) and URLLC (Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications) and are working to commercialize 5G mobile network earlier than expected.
According to global telecommunication businesses such as South Korea’s 3 mobile network providers and an international private standardization organization called 3GPP, they are going to decide on ‘Release 15’ standards that correspond to first standards for 5G mobile network by June of 2018.
Release 15 is going to prepare standards for new radio wireless base station technologies that utilize ultra-broadband frequency with up to 1GHz width and include standards for next-generation core technologies that are applied with virtual functions.
3GPP has finalized on a roadmap for development of Release 15. It is going to finalize standards for physical upper steps (L1/L2) in terms of 5G network by December of this year and is planning to finalize Release 15 after finishing additional development by June of 2018. When it provides official standards as documents by the 14th of September, standardization for first step of 5G technologies will be completed.
3GPP is going to select and give shape to major technologies so that commercialization of 5G mobile network can take place earlier and is planning to finalize on tentative standards by end of this year so that 5G mobile network can be commercialized partially. 3GPP is going to finalize on tasks and schedule for 5G ‘First Drop (preceding technologies)’ at a general meeting that will place in Washington in March of this year. 3GPP is going to select ‘NSA (Non-standalone)’ technology that converges LTE and 5G mobile network, URLLC, and eMBB as candidates for preceding technologies and finalize on development schedule.
Verizon and AT&T, Japan’s NTT DOCOMO, and South Korea’s KT are planning to commercialize Release 15 at the same time when Release 15 is prepared in 2018. However because frequency for 5G standards is going to be finalized at the end of 2019, it is going to come out after 5G technologies are standardized. But global mobile network providers expect that outline of standards will emerge before 2018 since discussion regarding frequency for international standards started in 2016 and that this problem will be solved through international cooperation.
“Due to requests from certain mobile network providers such as Verizon and AT&T that strongly want early commercialization of 5G mobile network, we have started First Drop discussion.” said a South Korean expert who participates in 3GPP. “Competitions between businesses that are pushing for their own standards are also going to become fiercer.”
Staff Reporter Park, Jisung | jisung@etnews.com