5G is two generations since CEO Quigley
[Update – Link to my prior article] Three years ago I wrote: http://nbnoptions.org/5g-game-over/ 5G signals a powerful future for mobile wireless and the final nail in the coffin for NBN The coffin wasn’t in reference to the NBN company, but rather the insistence by industry and commentators to pursue Fibre-only at any cost. Everyone knows technology... View Article
[Update – Link to my prior article]
Three years ago I wrote: http://nbnoptions.org/5g-game-over/
5G signals a powerful future for mobile wireless and the final nail in the coffin for NBN
The coffin wasn’t in reference to the NBN company, but rather the insistence by industry and commentators to pursue Fibre-only at any cost. Everyone knows technology changes as a phenomenal pace, it will be interesting to analyse the persistence of technomotive bias for the Fibre obsession in years to come.
[Original article begins]
Yoo reports
The next generation of mobile broadband is reportedly heading into incredible speeds, far faster than anything come down wires…
…
..that is 200 times faster than the maximum speed of the NBN..
That’s embarrassing for Quigley (the previous CEO of NBNCo), who once said
Mike Quigley has again expressed his frustration with what he described as the “futile” ongoing debate about whether wireless technologies would make the mainly fibre-based National Broadband Network obsolete
And yes, I make concessions here, that 20Gbps isn’t for one person, and Quigley did acknowledge that wireless would at least make part of NBN MKII.
However, Quigley also thought
To get a committed rate of 5 Mbps, you would need 80,000 cell sites
As if that was not possible. But he ignore the fact, that people want to life their lives untethered, and now we see private companies realising this. Yes, it will be backed by fibre, but not to everyone’s home, of course, as he tried to make out
what do you connect them up with? Fibre. So you still need ubiquitous fibre
The whole MTM policy must really torment Quigley, he’s still taking potshots at the new CEO – https://delimiter.com.au/2016/06/22/read-now-mike-quigley-launches-devastating-critique-mtm-policy/, I’m sure with some good points, but biased with his damaged ego.
Interestingly, the Sydney Morning Herald reports
100 gigabytes for ultra high definition (4k) visuals – users will be able to download the entire film in five seconds on a mobile device.
That statement has 3 errors:
- 20Gbps allows 2.5GBps at most. The difference between [b] and [B] is a factor of 8. So it would take 40 seconds at full speed.
- 20Gbps would be the capacity, but unlikely an individuals peak speed.
- The last time I watched a movie in 5 seconds I was put into an induced coma (joke)
I understand the intentions of the writer, Battersby, using such an example to indicate speed, but it highlights a big problem with cheerleading ever faster speed, when journalists can’t even find a good use for it.
None of these media sources reported, that this should mean higher download caps, and thereby reducing the need for fixed-line residential services. If there will be 20x more bandwidth, that possibly means up to 20x (if not more) download cap. Many mobile plans come with 2.5GB stock, but 5GB is financially accessible. Therefore, 100GB+ of data cap would likely be possible (subject to carrier’s passing on the concessions). Now that’s something to report!
Battersby also reports,
15 gigahertz, a frequency currently used for space research, astronomy, defense and satellite operations.
If we check the Australian radiofrequency spectrum (Allocations chart), we can see that this is spot on.
- Yellow – Fixed Wireless
- Green – Mobile
- Orange – Space Research
- Lilac Blue with a dot – Passive earth exploration satellite
- Kaki – Radio Astronomy
- Yellow Up arrow – Fixed Earth to Space
- Brown – Radio Location
- Royal Blue – Aeronautical Radio Navigation
However, it would have been prudent to report that 5G can work on many different frequencies, including FCC approved 28, 37 and 39Ghz, so Australia will likely follow suit.
Here are current allocations for Australia in those FCC approved ranges:
So, I see no reason why that can’t also be approved in Australia.
The most important description reported by Battersby, happens to be
Theoretically, Tuesday’s test shows gigabit speeds could be available on a mobile up to 100 kilometres away from the nearest tower
So you can toss those copper DSL debates out the window. With copper you’re struggling to get 24mbps as far as 1km from the exchange. Try 100x further with 40x the speed capacity.
Finally, Zaharov-Reutt with iTWire was of course most astute with their analysis, reporting Telstra’s quote
5G will be crucial for supporting industrial applications and the Internet of Things (IoT)….lower latency…virtual and augmented reality….
Instead of describing (as Battersby does for her mainstream readers)
uses hundreds of small antenna
as if they’re sparkles; Zaharov-Reutt calls it the proper name
beam steering technology
I look forward to when pCell makes it into the mainstream, as we’re starting to talk about 100% high-speed coverage into the outback. In the meantime, there are great advances from the mobile industry consorita.