5G Rollout

5G present mobile operators with a huge opportunity as well as increased competition from other new players from different industries.

19:09 26 July 2017

5G’s final form begins to take shape and is expected to present mobile operators an opportunity to offer more than connectivity. In a report, Arthur D Little, an international management consulting firm, said: “We expect 5G to support the strategic shift of telecom operators from being predominantly providers of high-speed connectivity, to becoming true enablers of next-generation ecosystems,”

 

The report has also identified five distinct 5G rollout models that are already being used by operators across the globe.

 

·       Digital industrial ecosystem with machine-to-machine connectivity

 

·       Gigabit broadband to residential homes

 

·       Providing reliable, low-latency connectivity for corporations

 

·       Next-generation mobile experiences such as tactile internet and virtual reality

 

·       Next-generation infrastructure-as-a-service for the country

 

 

However, the report warns against new threats from other industries saying that non-telecom players are ready to join the bandwagon with some already active in the 5G-enabled product space, running pilots in related fields including virtual reality infotainment services and autonomous driving. The biggest threats to mobile operators, the report added, are giant tech companies including Amazon, Apple and Google.

 

The report therefore concludes: “Telecom operators should move quickly to place their stakes in the 5G ground”.