5G future is here: the industrial ecosystem is moving towards synergy and win-win

With the network reconstruction of operators, NB-IoT/eMTC will be commercialized to enable vertical industries, connected cars will promote the development of C-V2X, and the industry will conduct in-depth exploration and deployment of network slicing and edge computing, which indicates that 5G is one step closer to commercialization.

At the same time, 3GPP has also accelerated the current stage of 5G standardization:

• In December 2017, the Rel.15 non-standalone 5G new air interface technology standard was completed, as well as the 5G network architecture standardization, meeting the needs of aggressive operators in the United States, South Korea and Japan;
• In June 2018, the standardization of the independent 5G new air interface and core network was completed, supporting two major scenarios, eMBB and uRLLC, to meet the initial commercial needs of 5G in 2020;
• In September 2019, it supported three major scenarios: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable communication (uRLLC), meeting all ITU technical requirements.
• NB-IoT commercialization is a signal of entering the 5G era

Internationally, the European Union launched large-scale 5G trials in 2018, striving to make 5G services available to vertical industries by 2020; in 2017, Verizon will launch partial 5G "commercial" operations in the United States; in early 2018, the Korean Winter Olympics launched 5G pre-commercial trials; and in July 2020, the Tokyo Olympics will realize 5G commercial use.

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my country's 13th Five-Year Plan outlines that it will actively promote the research of key technologies for the fifth-generation mobile communications (5G) and ultra-wideband, and launch 5G commercial use. In other words, China will launch the official commercial use of 5G no later than 2020.

At present, 4G evolution will meet most of the 5G requirements. 5G new air interface meets all requirements, but does not consider backward compatibility. Therefore, China's commercial 5G in 2020 will adopt the global unified 5G standard, and the risk of commercial operation is extremely small.

According to media reports, the first batch of cities for the construction of 5G field test networks in my country were recently announced, including Ningbo, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Suzhou, which indicates the acceleration of my country's 5G commercialization process. On May 12, China Telecom once again clarified that it would subsidize NB-IoT/Cat.1 and other IoT industry chains with 300 million yuan, and build the first global connection management platform in China by the end of May; China Unicom launched the trial commercialization of NB-IoT network on May 15, and established China Unicom NB-IoT Terminal Industry Alliance... This shows that the era of massive connection and security 5G is coming, and behind it is the network transformation and efforts of operators for the digital economy.

At the same time, the three major operators restructured their networks for the future after 2015, such as China Mobile's NovoNet2020, China Unicom's CUBE-Net, and China Telecom's CTNet2025. Previously, China Telecom proposed the 5G "three clouds" architecture based on SDN/NFV, with modular and software-based network functions, and separation of control and user planes, and its core concept was accepted by 3GPP.

my country's 5G commercialization process is synchronized with 3GPP standardization

From the end of 2012 to the present, my country and the international community have simultaneously launched 5G research and development, and established the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group, which covers domestic and foreign mobile communication industry, academia, research and application units. The 5G technology research and development trials fully support the development of a global unified 5G technology standard under the ITU and 3GPP framework, and support the commercial use of 5G in 2020.

At the beginning of 2016, my country launched the 5G technology research and development test, which was divided into two phases. At present, my country's 5G research and development has entered the second phase of the test, which mainly tests the integration and feasibility of the technical solution and tests the 5G performance and indicators. On September 15, 2016, my country completed the first phase of 5G technology research and development test, with seven manufacturers participating in the test, including Huawei, Ericsson, ZTE, Datang, Nokia Shanghai Bell, Samsung and Intel.

The technical research and development tests in the first phase verified the technical feasibility of key technologies such as large-scale antennas, new multiple access, ultra-dense networking, network slicing, mobile edge computing, control and bearer separation, and network function reconstruction in supporting diverse 5G scenario requirements such as Gbps user experience rate, millisecond-level end-to-end latency, and one million connections per square kilometer.

The test results are basically in line with expectations:

• Compared with LTE-A, massive antennas can achieve a 3~4% improvement in spectrum efficiency;
• Combined with key technologies such as multiple access and coding, it can meet the requirements for improving ITU spectrum efficiency indicators (3-5 times);
• Compared with LTE, the new multiple access technology can improve downlink spectrum efficiency by more than 86% and uplink user connection capacity by 3 times;
• Compared with traditional Turbo codes, polar codes can achieve 0.3~0.6 dB performance improvement in both stationary and mobile scenarios. At the same time, combined with high-frequency band communications, they can achieve data transmission capabilities of >20Gbps, verifying that Polar Code can well support the three major scenarios defined by ITU.
• The feasibility of the high-frequency band technical solution was verified, and at the same time, it was proved that the use of high-frequency communication technology can meet the ITU peak rate indicator requirements of 10-20 Gbps;
• The 5G system supports the needs of differentiated technical solutions for different scenarios based on a unified technical framework.

Phase 2: Multi-scenario testing

5G is mainly aimed at three typical 5G scenarios: mobile Internet, low latency and high reliability, and low power consumption and large connections, involving the research and development and testing of wireless air interfaces and network architecture technology solutions. One of my country's 5G testing goals is to strengthen the globally coordinated 5G frequency, while focusing on promoting low-frequency bands and strengthening high-frequency spectrum research.

In 2016, the radio management department approved the 5G system technology research and development test in the 3.4-3.6GHz frequency band. Currently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is stepping up research and coordination work on other related frequency bands.

In September 2016, the second phase of China's 5G technology research and development test was launched. The second phase of the test targets 5G technology requirements, verifies the performance of 5G technology solutions from different manufacturers, and supports the development of 5G international standards. It is expected that the second phase of the test will be completed by the end of 2017.

With the support of the three ministries, the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group, which consists of China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Ducomo, and China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, has conducted a test group to verify technical solutions for different application scenarios of mobile Internet and Internet of Things, mainly including:

Performance tests are conducted on seven scenarios, including continuous wide coverage scenario, low latency and high reliability scenario, low power consumption and large connection scenario, hotspot high capacity (low frequency) scenario, hotspot high capacity (high frequency) scenario, high and low frequency mixed scenario and other mixed scenarios, as well as multi-party intercommunication and docking tests.

It is worth noting that the technical solutions for different scenarios will be designed based on a unified technical framework. Since the 5G technical framework should be unified, flexible, and configurable, the corresponding optimized technical solutions will be formed through key technologies and parameter configuration based on the technical requirements of different scenarios.

The second phase of the 5G technology R&D test is based on a unified test platform, unified frequency, unified equipment and test specifications, and verifies the technical solutions of various manufacturers for different application scenarios of 5G mobile Internet and Internet of Things. At the same time, this phase will guide chip and instrument manufacturers to participate and carry out docking tests of the industrial chain.

The 5G era requires new business models

At the beginning of 2017, China Mobile released its 5G commercialization plan: 5G field trials will be launched in 2017, 5G network pre-commercial trials will be launched in 2018, and commercial scale trials will be conducted in 2019, striving to achieve the goal of large-scale commercial use of 5G networks in 2020. The NovoNet test network for the target network is expected to start large-scale commercial use in 2018 and realize network function virtualization of major network elements in 2020.

Relevant personnel from China Mobile believe that in the 5G era, it is necessary to grasp in advance how to customize network slices and parameter settings according to needs to ensure that 5G networks are operational and manageable. At the same time, for integrated innovation, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation with vertical industries, not only to study new businesses, but also to study new business models.

At present, the world's largest 5G test field planned in Huairou, Beijing, has completed the site planning of 30 stations, which can meet the field single-station and networking performance test needs of 6 system manufacturers. At the same time, chip companies such as Spreadtrum and MTK, and instrument companies such as Keysight Technologies, Rohde & Schwarz, Datang Lianyi, and Galaxy Bright Point also participated in the test.

In Pudong, Shanghai, China Mobile has continuously established a 5G C-Band network in a densely populated urban area with 5 stations. The C-Band peak rate can reach 4Gbps, the long-range coverage can reach 1.5 kilometers, and the average throughput can reach 1.7Gbps.

In Panyu, Guangzhou, China Mobile initially selected seven sites as alternative test areas, with the main test site being the Teaching Building No. 5 of Guangdong University of Technology.

In addition, China Mobile has established a 5G Joint Innovation Center to promote the maturity of 5G communication technology, incubate innovative applications, and build a win-win ecosystem. It has carried out work in six major areas, including basic communication capabilities, the Internet of Things, the Internet of Vehicles, the Industrial Internet, cloud robots, and virtual/augmented reality, and launched more than 30 joint innovation projects. At the same time, while serving as the vice chairman of the 3GPP RAN Plenary Meeting and the vice chairman of RAN2, China Mobile took the lead in 5G-related project establishment and applied for more than 450 5G-related patents.

Based on its own network characteristics, China Telecom has led a number of 5G-related 3GPP international standards such as mobile big video and multi-network integration, and has built a 5G technology simulation evaluation system. China Unicom has also established an open laboratory for 5G, and has carried out research and cooperation on basic networks and capabilities, the Internet of Things, the Internet of Vehicles, and the Industrial Internet.

Domestic chips will no longer lag behind in the 5G era

The 50 billion connections by 2020 will generate massive amounts of data. Only 5G networks can realize new information forms, improve business efficiency, and bring data value-added.

Wu Geng, an Intel Fellow and a leading technical expert in wireless standards at the Communications and Devices Division, believes that Intel is the only company that can provide end-to-end 5G solutions, from the device side, wireless technology to the network side and the cloud side. Previously, Intel's acquisition of Mobileye was clearly a prelude to its efforts in autonomous driving.

At MWC 2017, Intel released the Gigabit LTE Modem XMM 7560. At the same time, in the face of mobile edge computing, Intel provides a product portfolio including Atom C3000, Xeon D-1500, 25 GbE Ethernet adapter XXV710, etc.

Qualcomm also released the 5G Modem Snapdragon X50 on the eve of MWC2017, which realizes 2G/3G/4G/5G multi-mode functions through a single chip to support sub-6GHz and multi-band millimeter waves. In the second half of 2017, China Mobile, Qualcomm and ZTE will carry out 5G new air interface trials. Trials based on 3GPP specifications and interoperability trials will inevitably accelerate the large-scale deployment of 5G.

Qualcomm China Chairman Meng Pu believes that intelligence, autonomy, networking and interconnection are the biggest development trends in mobile technology. The future 5G network will provide an integrated distributed platform for computing, storage, network resources and connections in the "big connection era".

Intel's ally, Chinese chipmaker Spreadtrum will launch its first 5G chip based on Rel.15 in 2019 and a true 5G (Rel.16) chip in 2020.

Li Liyou, CEO of Spreadtrum, said that Spreadtrum lagged behind Qualcomm by 10 years in the 2G era, 5 years in the 3G era, 1-2 years in the LTE era, and "1-2 months or 1-2 days" or even more than 1-2 seconds in the 5G era. This is not only Spreadtrum's progress, but also the progress of our country's semiconductor design level, including the recent launch of an aircraft carrier, and the gap is getting smaller and smaller.

It is worth noting that not only traditional communication giants such as Huawei and ZTE have launched 5G research and development, but also terminal manufacturers such as vivo have launched 5G research and deployment, and at the same time improved the uplink experience of TD-LTE terminals through HPUE. Based on TDD, SoftBank conducted Band 41 HPUE field tests in Virginia, USA, and the cell capacity increased by 11% and the coverage increased by 16%; Sprint, together with Nokia and Motorola, conducted Gigabit LTE tests through Snapdragon X16 Modem, and the downlink speed reached 705Mbps... All of this is a performance improvement of 4G terminals, but in fact it lays the foundation for 5G.

5G Era: Networks Move with the Cloud

Based on the Beijing Huairou field test environment constructed above, Huawei, Datang, and others conducted field performance tests under the 3.5GHz 5G new air interface.

In the field performance test, Huawei completed the field performance test of continuous wide area coverage, low latency and high reliability, low power consumption and large connections and mixed scenarios based on the unified air interface solution, achieving the 5G key performance indicator requirements of 10Gbps peak rate, less than 1ms air interface latency and more than 1 million connections.

To verify Huawei's 5G new air interface technology solution, Huawei's 5G prototype system conducted interoperability tests with instrument companies such as Rohde & Schwarz, Keysight Technologies, and Datang Lianyi. The parameter set, frame structure, new waveform and other technologies in Huawei's new air interface technology solution were verified based on third-party test instruments.

In the eyes of Huawei officials, the driving force behind operators' network transformation is that user demand determines that the network follows the cloud, and operators themselves want to reduce costs and increase efficiency. 5G networks have put forward new requirements for infrastructure visualization, disaster recovery, elasticity, and the life cycle of business application delivery, and they must also have low latency and high reliability. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that Huawei hopes to build a fully cloud-based network through Cloud Edge+Cloud RAN+Cloud Air.

Last month, China Unicom Guangdong Branch launched the first 5G pilot in China, and its partner Ericsson achieved 1Gbps live network transmission test and demonstration based on dual-band wireless point system in the live network. Previously, Ericsson and China Mobile completed the field test of 5G prototype system drone controlled by operator network; cooperated to start the cooperative research and development project for Cloud RAN; completed the 5G high-frequency phased test in a new scenario; and carried out 5G joint network slicing "roaming" test with two international operators. At the 2016 Communication Exhibition, a 5G wireless prototype was demonstrated, with a peak throughput of more than 25 Gbps.

In Jiaxing, China Mobile and ZTE completed the commercial deployment and multi-scenario testing of 3D-MIMO (i.e. Pre5G Massive MIMO). ZTE deployed a new generation of broadband 3D-MIMO in Jiaxing, and carried out verification in multiple scenarios such as university traffic scenes and three-dimensional deep coverage of residential high-rise buildings.

Also in the Huairou field, Datang launched the 3.5GHz band 5G field rate and coverage capability test, the switching between macro base stations and densely covered small base stations, and the coverage comparison verification for future integrated networking. At present, test scenarios such as outdoor fixed-point rate, mobile remoteness and 4G/5G coverage comparison, and macro and micro base station switching have been completed. During the test, the core network adopted a unified virtualized cloud platform to meet the diverse scenarios of 5G, support the deployment of core network functions and localized services, and the average delay was only 2-5 microseconds. In the 5G base station coverage capability test, through large-scale antenna technology, in the environment of maintaining a download rate of 100Mbps in the 3.5GHz band, the coverage distance exceeded 2km, achieving a coverage capability similar to that of the 2.6GHz band 4G base station.