The Week in 5G: 9/2/21 — Spectrum Auction Setbacks In India, Nokia Fears U.S. Backlash
By Abby Proch, Editor, RF Globalnet
Brazil projects its October 5G spectrum auction will be its most lucrative to date, according to ZDNet. The spectrum auction is expected to top $8.6 billion for 20-year licenses on the 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz, and 3.5 GHz bands, as well as 26 GHz mmWave. Brazil’s Ministry of Communications said all Brazilian capitals will have 5G coverage by 2022 and all cities with more than 30,000 people will have 5G by 2028.
To date, Brazilian wireless operators TIM and Claro have launched limited 5G offerings using dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) technology, which allows 4G and 5G networks on the same band, but ministry officials have warned not to rely on that approach going forward, according to RCR Wireless News.
In other spectrum news, high prices in India could cause as much as 60 percent of spectrum to go unsold, causing a delayed 5G rollout, claims Cellular Operators Association of India Director General S.P. Kochhar in a Business Standard report. Kochhar said the country must lower its reserve prices so financially vulnerable wireless operators, who are currently testing 5G, can continue their rollouts as planned. Kochhar also claims the India spectrum prices — set at $67.2 million per MHz in the 3,300 to 3,600 MHz band — are the highest in the world. In March 2021, the government held an auction in the 700 MHz band, which also supports 5G technology, and received no bids. The next spectrum auction is slated for early 2022.
Speaking of spectrum, researchers at the University of California San Diego claim they have found a way to make notoriously finnicky mmWave spectrum navigate obstacles more easily, according to EE News Wireless. A team of electrical engineers successfully separated a singular mmWave beam into several beams, with each taking its own path to the receiver, improving the chances that at least one beam would make it to the receiver. In the experiment, some beam paths travelled directly to the receiver, while others encountered reflectors (like glass, metal and concrete) and were redirected to the receiver. Those redirected beams consistently reached the receiver because an algorithm learned the beams’ paths of least resistance, so to speak, and even accounted for moving obstacles.
Dubbed “mmReliable,” the tech provided more than double the throughput reliability as a single beam system when tested on a 28 GHz testbed with 400 MHz bandwidth and using a 64-element phased array that supports 5G NR waveforms. The test succeeded both in an office and at outdoor courtyard, in which it provided connectivity up to 262 feet.
In network rollout news, the number of operators that have launched one or more Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-complaint 5G services grew 25.7 percent this year. According to an August report by the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), 176 operators in 72 countries have launched 5G networks, up from 140 operators in 59 countries at the beginning of 2021. So far in 2021, a total 461 operators in 137 countries have invested in 5G (including all stages, from planning and trials to deployments and launches), almost 50 operators more than in January.
Meanwhile, AT&T and Cisco launched sub-6 GHz 5G for Internet of Things (IoT) across the U.S. AT&T says the network will offer lower latency and higher bandwidth for its enterprise customer IoT deployments. The 5G IoT development builds on the partnership's existing offerings on 4G LTE. AT&T noted the enablement will help manufacturers secure near-real-time information to better monitor assembly line efficiency, as well as enable Mobile Personal Emergency Response Device providers to achieve increased independence and faster response times. AT&T VP of Mobility, IoT and 5G William Stovall called the rollout an “important first step” toward widespread IoT connectivity.
In Finland, Nokia has backed out of a global RAN advocacy group for fears it would suffer blowback from the U.S. government, according to a report by Politico. The O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) Alliance includes multinational network providers, vendors and research institutions, some of which are named on the U.S. entity list for security concerns relating to relationships with Chinese government. Chip producers Kindroid and Phytium, as well as Huawei, are some of the member organizations the U.S. has identified as posing a national security threat. But Nokia is not the only big player who held a membership; other notable O-RAN members include AT&T, Dish, Verizon and T-Mobile.
Moving from perceived security threats to actual breaches, the company’s CEO Mike Sievert said he is “truly sorry” for the Aug. 17 cyberattack that exposed more than 55 million former and current customers' names, addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license information, and social security numbers (SSN). In a company press release, Sievert admitted the company “didn’t live up to expectations” when it comes to security but vowed to allay concerns by offering affected customers a two-year identity protection plan through McAfee. T-Mobile is also enlisting the support of cybersecurity consulting firm KPMG to review its practices and provide feedback for improvement.
Finally, according to multiple reports, including MSN News, the new Apple iPhone 13 could feature low earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity. If included, this connectivity would allow customers to rely on satellite communication for calls and texting when 4G/LTE and 5G coverage is not available. The feature could provide a safety net for those whose carrier networks experience periodic drops in connectivity, such as use in a remote location or when experiencing a power outage. The newest model is said to offer the capability with a customized Qualcomm X60 chip.