5G News Round Up for the Week to 15 December 2024

This week saw significant developments across the 5G landscape, with major announcements in cloud RAN deployments, network slicing implementations, and satellite communications integration. Key themes included advances in AI integration with 5G networks, expansion of enterprise solutions, and continued progress in open RAN development despite market challenges.

Network Infrastructure & Technology

Finnish operator Elisa achieved a European first with Nokia in cloud RAN deployment, advancing its network autonomy strategy. The implementation integrates Nokia’s AirScale technology with Red Hat’s OpenShift platform, demonstrating the growing maturity of cloud-native network solutions.

Verizon launched enhanced video calling capabilities using 5G network slicing, marking one of the first commercial implementations of this technology. The service, available on iPhone 14 and newer models, provides improved video quality in congested areas through dynamic resource allocation.

In China, operators continue aggressive 5G deployment with China Mobile and China Unicom reporting combined base station counts exceeding 4.6 million. Population coverage has reached 96%, with 5G-Advanced now deployed in over 100 cities.

Spectrum & Regulatory Developments

The FCC unanimously approved expansion of Very Low Power (VLP) device operations across the 6 GHz band, enabling new use cases for AR/VR, wearables and industrial applications. This decision marks a significant step in spectrum management for next-generation wireless services.

Satellite provider Globalstar completed successful 5G data trials in its n53 spectrum band, achieving speeds of 100Mb/s downlink and 60Mb/s uplink, demonstrating the growing convergence of terrestrial and satellite communications.

Industry Developments & Market Trends

Dell’Oro Group reported continued challenges in the open RAN market, with revenue declining 30% year-over-year in the first three quarters. However, predictions suggest improvement with 8-10% market share expected by 2025.

In enterprise solutions, Nokia unveiled an industrial 360-degree camera enabling multimedia streaming over 5G networks, while Extreme Networks announced an AI-based enterprise platform for simplified network management.

Suggested Reading

Nokia Claims 5G Camera First for Industrial Use
Breakthrough in ruggedized industrial imaging with integrated 5G connectivity

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/_vendor/nokia-claims-5g-camera-first-for-industrial-use/

Analysis: Nvidia, T-Mobile US Extol Promise of AI RAN
Key insights into AI integration with radio access networks

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/network-tech/analysis-nvidia-t-mobile-us-extol-promise-of-ai-ran/

FCC Expands VLP Devices Operations in 6 GHz
Regulatory milestone for unlicensed spectrum use

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20241212/uncategorized/vlp-devices-in-6-ghz

Dell’Oro Remains Downbeat on Open RAN Revenue
Market analysis of open RAN adoption trends

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/old_latest-stories/delloro-remains-downbeat-on-open-ran-revenue/

Elisa Credits Nokia for 5G Cloud RAN Advance
European first in cloud RAN deployment

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/nokia/elisa-credits-nokia-for-5g-cloud-ran-advance/