EE World spoke with Matsing’s Manish Matta and Keysight’s Roger Nichols on how 5G is evolving into business use cases and where 6G could play a role.

According to the consumer wireless telecom pundits, 5G is a flop. You can certainly make a case for that, except 5G is becoming much more than smartphones and downloads. Beginning with 3GPP Release 17, 5G adds the long-promised features businesses can use. Such features include RedCap. Release 18 brings 5G-Advanced, which will include

• Sidelink, proximity, location, and positioning
• Multicast
• Machine-to-machine-type communications
• AI/ML
• Improved energy efficiency

Meanwhile, 6G research continues.

While the industry is fixated on a new “G” at ten-year intervals, each generation lasts far longer than that. 3G is now in sunset, but 2G, first deployed in 1991, lives. Given the number of connected devices out there, expect 4G/LTE to last at least another decade. Indeed, manufacturers of LTE modules continue to market them as IoT devices that need upgrading for 2G and 3G. Why upgrade to LTE rather than 5G? The answer is energy use and cost.

Because of 5G’s features, such as machine-to-machine communications designed for business and industrial use, you can expect an even longer life because those features are new and, in some cases, not yet standardized. Furthermore, businesses won’t upgrade without anticipated ROI.

Recently, Matsing, a manufacturer of lens antennas, approached EE World saying that, given 5G’s expected long life, 6G research should slow down. Rather than rely on a single opinion, we broadened the conversation by adding Keysight’s 6G program manager, Roger Nichols. See the video below for the complete discussion.

“The life of 5G is much beyond the ten years that’s typical for any generation of wireless,” stated Matta. Yes, that’s typical. 2G is still in use and will live on while 3G is in sunset. 4 G LTE is still very much in use. Indeed, much of 5G still depends on LTE because few 5G standalone (SA) networks are currently in deployment. Matta goes on to say that 5G-Advanced will enhance 5G’s latency, reduce energy consumption, and increase data rates. “5G needs to be looked at not as a product but as a continuum.” As he noted, 5G is still in deployment in many parts of the world. Even in developed countries, 5G coverage may not be as extensive as that of LTE.

“5G will exist well into the next decade,” echoed Nichols. “5G standalone networks are as yet not pervasive. 5G-Advanced starts with 3GPP release 18, which is only recently frozen and not yet in deployment. “As that happens, we will see a broader use of 5G beyond that of smartphones.”

Private networks

Private networks, used by enterprises, will extend 5G’s life, perhaps beyond that of any previous generation and probably long after 6G deployment. “With 5G-Advanced, noted Matta, you’re going to get precise location, to within 10 cm. That will be huge when it comes to automation and public safety.”

The discussion included some talk of mmWave, those high-speed connections that are expensive to deploy because of their short range. Nichols noted that the average smartphone user needs about 50 Mb/sec data rates for most uses. He expects some form on XR/AR/VR to eventually create a demand for mmWave’s wideer bandwidth. When that happens, according to Nichols, other use cases such as private networks and network slicing will take off. Network slicing overcomes the cost barrier of a private network, but it requires a robust 5G standalone (SA) network.

What about 6G?

Matta and Nichols agreed that 6G will happen. Nichols hinted that 6G might be compatible with 5G as opposed to 5G being so different than 4G. He referred to 6G ad “evolution heavy and revolution light.” Operators are unlikely to invest in 6G unless they see a business case for it. Nichols sees that coming from industrial and enterprise use cases that 5G can’t support.

Matsing specializes in high-capacity 5G applications such as those in arenas and stadiums. While some applications use mmWave, Matta sees carriers using C-band for those applications. It’s just in its infancy but Matta sees 6G as a possible technology for that band and those applications.

Today, no discussion is complete without some mention of AI. In the final minutes of the video, we discuss how AI is playing a role in network management, engineering, and customer service.