Preparing for the 5.5G era: operators promise even faster internet, but at a higher price
Telecom operators have not yet completed the deployment of 5G mobile networks. However, some telecom operators are already talking about launching 5.5G or 5G Advanced networks. Such discussions took place during the Mobile World Congress 2024 exhibition.
At the exhibition, executives from some of the leading operators said they were working on introducing a new generation of mobile Internet. This will enable even more advanced applications than today’s data-intensive apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok. These applications are well served by today’s mobile internet. But in the future, 5.5G is expected to enable more demanding experiences, including virtual or mixed reality headsets that are becoming increasingly powerful.
5G is the next generation of mobile internet after 4G, which promises ultra-high data speeds and better coverage. Although about 5 years have passed since the introduction of this standard, 5G penetration among consumers remains low. The number of consumers with 5G connectivity is growing, but still covers a small number of customers. It is expected that by 2029 alone, 5G connections will account for more than half (51%) of mobile connections.
5G is being positioned by the telecommunications industry not only as a consumer product with faster download speeds, but also as a network that can become the basis for new technologies such as self-driving cars, unmanned air taxis, and Internet of Things devices. This is mainly due to lower latency than in 4G.
At the same time, 5.5G or 5G Advanced is the next evolution of mobile networks – release 18 of the standard (5G is release 17, 6G will be release 19).
“The main priorities for developing advanced 5G standards are to increase the commercial relevance of 5G by expanding vertical markets, addressing deployment challenges, and continuing technology evolution to build a bridge to 6G,” said Milind Kulkarni, vice president and head of wireless labs at InterDigital.
5.5G will provide higher uplink speeds, meaning users will be able to stream videos, publish online and play multiplayer games much faster than before.
According to telecom executives, the additional advantages of 5G Advanced over current 5G are that it will make the networks themselves more “intelligent” through the use of AI and machine learning, as well as increase productivity and reduce overall energy consumption.
At the same time, thanks to 5G Advanced, telecommunications companies can start earning more money from 5G deployments. Since the main focus of 5G is enterprise applications, they can provide more revenue for operators than consumer services.
Telecom companies have not yet disclosed how much more expensive 5G Advanced tariff plans will be compared to 5G. But analysts expect them to try to make money by being smart about subscriptions and using artificial intelligence and other technologies to make their networks more efficient.
Telecommunications equipment provider Huawei expects 2024 to be the year of the official start of 5G Advanced commercial deployment. For Huawei, 5.5G is a network that will have a downlink speed of 10 Gbps. Huawei has already introduced 8 5.5G “innovative practices” that will help operators build 5.5G networks in all frequency bands.
