Movandi, a 5G RF and millimeter-wave (mmWave) technologies and software provider, recently outlined four key megatrends that it expects to accelerate 5G mmWave deployment in 2023 and beyond.
Last year proved to be a pivotal one in terms of technological innovation and transformation, despite a variety of challenges such as supply chain problems, inflation and increased energy costs. Despite these challenges, advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT) and expanded 5G networks and services made promising strides in 2022, according to Movandi.
The company noted that 5G in particular is gaining market traction that will accelerate in 2023 as wireless carriers expand their network deployments at mid-band and increasingly millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies. Movandi also projected that 5G mmWave networks will be more widely deployed globally in 2023.
“2023 will be a breakout year for 5G mmWave deployments in major markets worldwide, providing the high-speed, ultra-low-latency mobile networks end users need for broadband access, new services and emerging applications such as VR/AR and merged reality experiences,” said Movandi co-founder and CEO Maryam Rofougaran. “Buoyed by advances in smart repeater and small cell technologies, 5G mmWave networks will dramatically improve the performance and economics for global 5G mobile network operators.”
The four megatrends Movandi believes will shape 5G’s future include:
5G, when paired with mmWave, will transform multiple industries in 2023
Movandi forecasts that there will be a “major global market shift from 5G network and service evaluation to profitable monetization.” Trials have shown that mmWave networks can deliver 5G performance, capacity and value to end users. The expectation is that Australia, Japan, India and other new markets will come online in 2023.
“These markets present both economic challenges and huge opportunities to solve technical problems and unlock opportunities,” Movandi said.
The company acknowledged that 5G will not be a one-size-fits-all market. Instead, 5G deployments will depend on different focus areas, such as fixed-wireless access (FWA), indoor mobile use cases, outdoor mobile use cases and network extensions. As hardware and software toolboxes for system integrators, mobile network operators (MNOs) and fixed-wireless networks become more flexible, 5G mmWave deployment will be more cost-effective and successful.
AR/VR will bring a new focus on 5G networks for indoor applications
Approximately 70 percent of early adopters expect VR and AR tech to change everyday life in the media, education, work, social interaction, travel and retail sectors, according to an Ericsson ConsumerLab report.
“When it comes to mobile VR/AR platforms, size matters,” Movandi said. “We’ll see the rapid evolution of smaller, lighter and more cost-effective systems for merged reality applications. For the metaverse and merged reality to become mainstream, the tremendous bandwidth potential of 5G mmWave technology is essential to providing much-needed mobility, improving social experiences and addressing user comfort.”
Advances in AR/VR tech, working with high-speed mmWave networks, will be key in expanding “mobile merged reality experiences” as well as accelerating the shift from “an Internet of information and things to an Internet of realities.”
Smart repeater innovation will lead to faster deployment
Smart repeater technologies could make mmWave network deployments simpler, according to Movandi. At the same time, user experience would improve and overall deployment costs could decrease.
“Repeaters will extend their utility beyond mmWave and begin to support mid-band frequencies,” the company said. “Propagation from outdoor to indoor environments is challenged in the mid-band, and widespread deployment of smart repeaters will help solve this challenge.”
For example, Movandi and Ubicquia’s recently announced partnership developed the world’s first mmWave streetlight repeaters. The streetlight-mounted smart repeaters can be installed in minutes and work with 360 million existing streetlights worldwide.
The solution accelerated mmWave deployments to expand 5G coverage and will help operators offer fixed wireless access faster and decrease total cost of ownership by 80 percent, according to a Mobile Experts, Inc. study.
5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) will make significant advances in 2023
5G FWA platforms based on mmWave technology will gain traction in the US market, according to Movandi. A number of U.S. operators want to continue their expansion in fixed wireless but have limited spectrum available to service their growth user base.
“At the same time, we’ll see growing enthusiasm for FWA as an effective means to deliver adequate broadband access to end users in countries where existing infrastructure is not capable of servicing cost effectively deployment,” Movandi said. “In countries like India, they have a huge untapped market of users who reside in densely populated areas yet are lacking in the availability of more advanced services. 5G FWA holds great promise as a critical enabling technology that will help bridge the digital divide for people everywhere, bringing affordable, high-speed broadband to traditionally underserved regions.”
