5G News Round Up for the Week to 25 November 2024
This week saw major developments across several key areas of 5G evolution, with industry leaders sharing insights on network advancement, security challenges, and the integration of AI. Key themes emerged around uplink capabilities, private networks, and the careful path toward 6G.
Network Evolution & Infrastructure
Nokia’s senior advisor highlighted the industry’s focus on improving 5G uplink capabilities to meet enterprise demands and support AI applications. While early 5G focused on downlink speeds, there is now recognition that enhanced uplink is crucial for video surveillance, fixed wireless access and real-time interactive use cases.
Virgin Media O2 achieved a milestone in network convergence by activating its converged interconnect network (CIN) that unifies 5G and fiber infrastructure. The architecture aims to optimize efficiency while improving network resiliency by eliminating single points of failure.
AT&T provided an update on its $14 billion open RAN initiative with Ericsson, reporting steady progress toward running 70% of traffic over open hardware by 2026. The company emphasized building a foundation for broader ecosystem development rather than rushing to add vendors.
Security & Risk Management
Security experts from Telefonica and the GSMA warned about evolving threats in 5G networks, particularly with disaggregation and edge services creating more complex security challenges. However, they noted AI presents both risks and opportunities, with the technology enhancing threat detection capabilities through pattern analysis.
Industry Applications & Private Networks
Manufacturing giant Bosch offered a reality check on private 5G adoption, acknowledging initial hype but expressing continued confidence in the technology’s potential. Key challenges include aligning ICT and industrial timeframes, with manufacturing equipment lifespans far exceeding typical mobile refresh cycles.
Future Outlook
SK Telecom advocated a measured approach to 6G development, stating there is no need to rush given unclear use cases and traffic demands. The company emphasized learning from 5G experiences, particularly around killer applications and vendor ecosystem limitations.
Suggested Reading
Nokia tech guru up on uplink for next 5G phase
Highlighting the critical role of improved uplink capabilities for enterprise use cases
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/nokia/nokia-tech-guru-up-on-uplink-for-next-5g-phase/
Security specialists warn on rising 5G, AI risks
Expert insights on evolving security landscape in advanced networks
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/network-tech/security-specialists-warn-on-rising-5g-ai-risks/
5G pioneer SKT sees no need to rush to 6G
Valuable perspective on measured approach to next-generation development
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/operators/5g-pioneer-skt-sees-no-need-to-rush-to-6g/
VMO2 claims convergence feat with 5G, fibre play
Major milestone in network convergence implementation
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/network-tech/vmo2-claims-convergence-feat-with-5g-fibre-play/
AT&T network chief hails open RAN progress
Update on major open RAN deployment initiative
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/att/att-network-chief-hails-open-ran-progress/
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