How 5G standardization will impact future innovation and growth

In 2019, mobile technologies and services contributed $4.1 trillion in additional economic value (about 4.7% of global GDP), equivalent to about $490 billion in tax revenue. As more people around the world use mobile services, these figures are likely to only grow, especially in rapidly developing countries such as China and India. In addition, with the introduction of wireless 5G technology, more devices will be able to connect to the internet, helping to expand the Internet of Things (IoT) market. Therefore, standardization in the mobile space will be more important than ever.

Why is standardization so important?

Standardization provides a blueprint for connected technologies such as the mobile industry and IoT devices, encourages competition by creating a level playing field, and helps the entire market innovate to meet changing consumer needs.

It is also important to consider how wireless technology can be used as an attack vector for malicious purposes. As national infrastructure becomes increasingly reliant on mobile technology, security standards become a national security issue. Even an IoT-connected washing machine could be used maliciously in a well-planned attack to cripple the national grid.

Mobile standardization therefore needs to strike a balance between innovation and security: open enough to encourage the development of new technologies and services, but not so open that it introduces unnecessary security issues.

Another consideration is the environment. The mobile industry is also a major contributor to global carbon emissions, releasing more CO2 each year than the global aviation industry. In the next year or two, mobile standards will need to focus on how to decarbonize the mobile industry.

As technology becomes more interconnected, these considerations will only become more important. Mobile devices and services have the potential to continue to revolutionize our world, especially after the COVID-19 lockdown changed the way we work. But the growing importance, connectivity and ubiquity of mobile use brings greater complexity and risk. Finding the right standards for mobile technology will therefore play a vital role in guiding not only the industry but society as a whole in the coming years.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at three major considerations for mobile standardization over the next three to five years: innovation, security, and addressing climate change.

Innovation

One of the main benefits of standardization in the mobile industry is that it allows for greater competition among manufacturers. When common standards exist, manufacturers don't have to create proprietary technology that may not be compatible with other devices. Instead, they can focus on differentiating their products through design, features, and pricing.

In addition, standardization allows developers to create new applications and services that can be used on multiple devices and networks. This will lead to a more vibrant and diverse mobile ecosystem, bringing more innovation, better products and more choices to consumers.

More importantly, operators can more easily expand their networks and reach new customers, especially in developing countries, by using standardized equipment and technologies. This helps bridge the digital divide and brings mobile services to people who might not otherwise have access to them.

As mobile technology penetrates deeper into these developing regions, we will see a wave of innovation, especially from India and Africa. Using the building blocks created by standardization, new services will develop exponentially to solve regional challenges. These innovations will have an impact on the rest of the world, where they can be implemented with minimal friction based on global standards.

However, it is important that standards are not so restrictive that they slow the pace of innovation. When manufacturers are required to conform to universal standards, they may be less willing to take risks and try new ideas, leading to a lack of choice for consumers.

Safety

In the next few years, standardization in the mobile industry will be increasingly driven by security concerns. Mobile devices and networks are becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on sensitive personal and business information, making them a critical component of national infrastructure.

Organizations such as 3GPP and GSMA play a key role in this process, working to establish common security standards for mobile devices and networks. They provide guidance on how to protect mobile devices and networks from attacks such as malware, hacker attacks, and data breaches. In addition, 3GPP's security standards also provide guidance on how to protect user privacy, including how to manage personal information and how to control access to sensitive data.

One area of ​​particular concern for mobile security is telemedicine. The pandemic and resulting lockdown has created an unprecedented healthcare crisis. The surge in patients requiring medical assistance has led to an increase in the spread of the virus in hospitals and GP surgeries. Telemedicine has been adopted en masse to provide healthcare measures without the need for physical contact.

The result is a rapidly evolving emerging telemedicine market. However, confidentiality and security of patient information are limiting factors in the growth of telemedicine services, motivating new solutions and services to meet the demand.

By establishing standards for mobile device security, developers can more easily design and implement solutions that protect mobile devices from hacking and data breaches. This may include things like encryption, authentication, and access control, which can help protect devices from unauthorized access and secure new telehealth services.

However, it is important to note that standardization alone is not enough to ensure the security of mobile devices. It needs to be combined with other efforts such as user education and regular security audits to ensure that mobile devices and networks are protected from threats. It is also important that security standards be as easy to use as possible to encourage rather than stifle innovation.

Combating climate change

Unfortunately, the mobile industry currently accounts for around 3.5% of total global CO2 emissions. That’s twice as much as aviation emissions. And as the industry continues to grow, carbon emissions will also increase unless we make some drastic changes.

Standardization in the mobile operator market can play an important role in helping to decarbonize the communications industry. By establishing common technical standards for the deployment and operation of mobile networks, standardization can facilitate the development and deployment of more energy-efficient technologies and practices. These may include energy-efficient base stations, energy-saving modes for devices, and efficient use of spectrum.

Standardization can also facilitate the development of new technologies and services that help reduce carbon emissions. For example, 5G enables technologies such as the Internet of Things and machine-to-machine communications, which can help optimize energy and usage and improve resource efficiency in various industries such as agriculture, transportation and healthcare.

Furthermore, as standardization facilitates the development of new services for teleworking and telemedicine, the need to travel is reduced, helping to reduce carbon emissions in other areas of daily life.

Over the next few years we will see an increasing number of new standards within the mobile industry specifically aimed at reducing carbon emissions. From those designed directly to help mobile operators find more energy-efficient ways to operate, to those that impact other areas of society.

Summarize

Standardization is important for the mobile industry and for business in general, playing a vital role in ensuring that products produced for one market can also be sold in another market, with no or minimal modifications to the production process. Standardization has not only helped the mobile industry grow, but it has also changed the world, touching on everything from business to healthcare. Standardization is bound to be relevant to the future of the industry, but the right standards must encourage, not restrict, innovation and collaboration.