5G News Round Up for the Week to 22 December 2024

This week saw significant developments across the 5G landscape, with major announcements in standardization, infrastructure deployment, and technological innovation. Key themes included progress on 6G standardization, expansion of mmWave networks in Europe, and advances in network resilience and disaster response capabilities.

Standards & Industry Collaboration

A significant milestone in 6G development was marked as NTT Docomo announced the approval of a 6G RAN level study item at a recent 3GPP meeting. The initiative, co-signed by 56 companies, emphasizes the importance of global collaboration in developing interoperable 6G standards. Industry leaders stressed that progress should be driven by real requirements rather than rushed development.

In Japan, major telecoms groups including NTT Group, KDDI, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile unveiled a new framework for disaster response cooperation. The initiative, which began December 1st, enables sharing of key assets like base station-equipped ships and network facilities to ensure rapid network restoration during emergencies.

Infrastructure & Technology

Europe saw significant movement in mmWave deployment, with Nokia announcing a four-year agreement with Italian operator Eolo to deploy Europe’s first standalone 5G mmWave network. The deployment aims to bridge Italy’s digital divide through high-speed Fixed Wireless Access services.

In Japan, KDDI and Kyocera achieved a breakthrough in mmWave technology, developing wireless relay technology that expanded coverage from 33% to 99% in trials. The solution uses compact repeaters installed on street lights, creating a mesh network to overcome traditional mmWave limitations.

Industry Leadership & Strategy

Notable leadership changes included former Vodafone executive Yago Tenorio taking up the CTO position at Verizon, where he will focus on network implementation and vendor strategy. Meanwhile, Ooredoo announced a corporate restructuring with new regional CEO positions to streamline operations.

Suggested Reading

Early 6G Milestone Marked
First major 6G standardization milestone achieved through global collaboration

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/5g/early-6g-milestone-marked/

KDDI, Kyocera Widen mmWave Coverage
Innovative solution dramatically improves mmWave coverage through mesh networking

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/5g/kddi-kyocera-widen-mmwave-coverage/

Nokia to Deploy mmWave Network in Italy
First European standalone 5G mmWave network deployment announced

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/nokia/nokia-to-deploy-mmwave-network-in-italy/

Japan Operators Unite on Disaster Response
New framework enables unprecedented cooperation for network resilience

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/old_latest-stories/japan-operators-unite-on-disaster-response/

Open RAN Guru Tenorio Relishes Career Re-boot at Verizon
Industry veteran brings open RAN expertise to new role

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/verizon/open-ran-guru-tenorio-relishes-career-re-boot-at-verizon/