Ultra-fast 5G wireless network systems are set to gain a solid global presence alongside the rise of revolutionary technologies in the coming years, according to Swedish telecom equipment and services company Ericsson.
Short for fifth-generation, 5G is an ultra-fast wireless network system offering around 20 times faster transmission speeds than the existing 4G or Long-Term Evolution networks.
This super-fast network boasts extremely low latency -- delays caused when transmitting large amounts of data. Such speed is considered integral to the operation of futuristic technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things.
Around 550 million devices will be subscribed to 5G networks by the end of 2022, according to the “Ericsson Mobility Report” released in November. The biannual report forecasts future trends in the global telecommunications sector.
By region, North America will see the highest 5G adoption rates, with 5G accounting for around one-fourth of all mobile subscriptions in the region by 2022. The Asia-Pacific region is likely to see a 10 percent 5G adoption rate by then, the report said.
“Many carriers around the world, including those in South Korea and the US, are preparing to introduce 5G networks in the coming years,” said Lee Ji-hyun, senior manager at Ericsson-LG’s Mobile Broadband Department who presented the report’s findings in Seoul on Tuesday.
“A global standard governing 5G networks will be set up by the year 2020. And after this, many network operators around the world are expected to actively deploy commercial 5G networks,” Lee said.
Ericsson-LG is a joint venture between Ericsson and Korea’s LG Electronics. The Seoul-based firm focuses on developing telecom equipment and information and communication technology solutions.
To gain an early lead in the global 5G race, some network operators have been working to develop a functional 5G network ahead of 2020. For instance, Korean telecom giant KT has pledged to run the world’s first ever 5G pilot service at the 2018 Olympics while US mobile carrier Verizon plans to deploy a preliminary commercial 5G network by 2017.
While 5G is expected to shape the future of network systems, existing 4G and LTE networks will continue to be the dominant network utilized by global users for the time being, according to the Ericsson report.
The number of LTE subscriptions around the world will reach 4.6 billion by the end of 2022, more than tripling from the 1.5 billion subscriptions counted as of the third quarter of 2016, it said.
In addition, smartphones will be responsible for 90 percent of all mobile traffic generated in the world in 2022, led by cheaper network usage payment plans, the emergence of higher-resolution videos requiring more data as well as increased video-sharing between users, according to Ericsson.
By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)
