When 5G will become available and what players will have first mover advantage are subjects of hot debate lately. And GlobalData is the latest organization to jump into the fray.
The U.K.-based consulting and research firm expects 5G networks to be mainstream by 2020. And it expects Asia and the U.S. to be the first to get there.
In Asia, Japan and South Korea will be two of the early adopters of 5G network technology, according to GlobalData. That’s because these two markets are particularly well-suited to 5G in light of their advanced 4G networks, small cell deployments, supportive regulators, and widespread fiber availability, says Upin Dattani, senior manager of Europe for GlobalData Technology.
Among the 5G activities happening in Japan is an effort by Japanese carrier KDDI and Nokia (News - Alert) to test the ability of 28GHz spectrum to deliver high-speed connections in developed areas. The Fujimino City test employed a Nokia AirScale radio. And it yielded 1gbps speeds over a 100-meter stretch connecting a KDDI (News - Alert) research building and an apartment complex.
Operators in Europe will not be as fast to deploy 5G in a big way, GlobalData’s Dattani adds. That’s because the cellular operators there want to gain more return on their 3G and 4G investments before going whole hog with 5G, he indicates.
However, as I reported earlier this week, the U.K. says it aims to be a leader in 5G. And the government there has committed 16 million pounds on 5G test networks to help make that happen.
“We want to be at the head of the field in 5G,” said Minister for Digital Matt Hancock. “This funding will support the pioneering research needed to ensure we can harness the potential of this technology to spark innovation, create new jobs, and boost the economy.”
As for right now, there are several pre-standard 5G network trials taking place around the world, GlobalData notes. And some commercial services are expected to launch as early as next year, with acceleration on this front expected in 2019 and 2020.