21 Maggio 2019 –
By Alberto Crivelli, Country Manager of A10 Networks Italia—
Today we hear a lot about the 5G network, without knowing exactly the characteristics that differentiate it from the previous 4G and 3G networks. This is the new generation mobile network, whose main performances are high speed in data transmission, reduced latency, energy saving, cost reduction, greater system performance and maximum device connectivity capacity. In particular, while 3G and 4G are the technologies that brought the internet to our smartphones, allowing us to connect at any time, 5G was designed specifically for IoT solutions. With 5G, the mobile network will have the power to manage millions of small, always connected devices which will generate an incredible amount of data to be analyzed in cloud systems. In summary, we could say that while the 4G LTE network was the long-term evolution of the RAN (Radio Access Networks), 5G today represents its further evolution, leading to a notable increase in bandwidth with advanced end-to-end performance aimed at amplifying the use of hi-tech solutions in industries, smart city services and much more.
But the extraordinary promises of 5G are also accompanied by new challenges. Making everything constantly connected increases performance, output and control, but exposes every activity to the risk of cyber attacks. Putting the key functions of a structure online means having to find a way to protect them both from those who want to take control of them and from those who simply want to make them unusable. Furthermore, ensuring cybersecurity is not the only critical point for 5G networks. Even signal coverage alone could become a real critical issue for operators. The frequencies used, in fact, are ideal for very high-speed data transfer, but are less suitable for the complex and crowded environments of our cities. In fact, experts confirm that a large number of antennas are needed to adequately cover a city and for this reason manufacturers are preparing equipment that can be incorporated anywhere: from street lamps to the walls of buildings, up to traffic lights and any other possible "support point". The problem of poor penetration and bounce capacity of the radio waves used by 5G will lead to very high costs in creating the infrastructure that should make our cities smart and the same demand to ensure greater efficiency, bandwidth and coverage is pushing carriers towards a centralized distribution model, which is leading them to invest billions of dollars in the development of their mobile networks to guarantee more value to the end user.
The virtualization of the network is still at an early stage
The need to make networks increasingly faster and less expensive constantly pushes service providers to monitor and review the evolution of technology in order to identify innovations and possible improvements. In recent years, in particular, they have focused their attention mainly on the areas of Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) and Software Defined Networks (SDN), and the improvements obtained at the virtualisation level are driving the transition from hardware to software solutions. SDN is very promising, but it cannot be considered a panacea as specially developed hardware is still the preferred choice. However, NFV and SDN have offered service providers an excellent alternative to the old methods that involved dedicated devices, which often remained unused. The era of virtualization currently remains in its infancy, although hardware vendors and service providers have long been betting on its success. The development of the software, however, continues to satisfy the requests for integrated solutions that are easily scalable and allow the reduction of operating costs.
Opportunities for billions of dollars with the 5G network
However, it is natural to ask ourselves whether all this hype that has been circulating for months about the advent of the 5G network is right. We are just at the beginning of the process, but from the various activities encountered by manufacturers and connection service providers, the answer can only be yes. According to Ericsson, 5G technologies will in fact open up more than 1,200 billion dollars of opportunities by 2026. The 5G network guarantees the possibility of greater connectivity and flexibility, therefore deploying its impact not only on carriers and mobile network operators, but also on other industrial sectors that have enabled themselves to 5G technologies.
In the graph shown here you can see a list of 5G-enabled sectors and the expected revenues for each.
5G, the revolution of network infrastructure
To understand the revolutionary impact that the 5G network will have in the coming years, just think of the revolution that rail transport has brought about worldwide. In fact, it was an epochal change that modified the previously existing infrastructure and allowed the development of new business models. Railways, in other words, have allowed the creation of a vast network that connects parts that are very distant from each other, giving people and goods the opportunity to move faster and faster and thus opening up new business opportunities. Mobile networks and the internet now go well beyond the benefits offered by railway networks, because they not only increase the exchange of goods, but also increase the advantages in terms of additional services. The reasons that today drive the evolution of the network are not based on a wired or wireless infrastructure and companies are increasingly focused on updating existing mobile networks. At the same time, proponents of NFV, SDN and IoT systems are pushing to be able to use the new generation of mobile networks. The transition from ideation to production of software solutions is simpler and often involves a lower initial investment cost than other solutions. All this helps to further satisfy the needs of service providers, including wired infrastructure. 5G and IoT will be demand-driven, so the more the infrastructure expands to meet that demand, the more opportunities will arise. It will essentially be a positive feedback loop that will revolutionize our way of thinking and using the internet and mobile networks.
