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BT’s network division wants to identify the level of demand and predicts 10 million homes by 2025.

Openreach launched its highly-anticipated consultation that eyes-up demand for full fibre networks. The consultation was discussed at Connected Britain last month and it informs the BT-owned infrastructure provider’s strategy when it comes to FTTP – this could pave the way for a widespread deployment.

“With the right conditions we believe we could make FTTP available to as many as 10 million homes and businesses by the mid-2020s, but we need to understand if there’s sufficient demand to justify the roll-out, and support for the enablers needed to build a viable business case,” said Openreach CEO Clive Selley.

These “enablers” include greater collaboration, risk and cost-sharing models, mass customer migration to the new network, lowering logistical barriers and spreading the cost of an FTTP investment and legal regulatory frameworks. Clive Selley added,

“The engineering, commercial and operational challenges are significant, but I believe that greater collaboration across the industry will help us to overcome them and build more fibre-to-the-premises infrastructure.”

Following a market review, Ofcom concluded that Openreach still had an incentive to favour the UK incumbent despite being required to treat all retail service providers equally. As well as pressure from the regulator, Openreach also faces mounting pressure from altnets that are cherry-picking markets and rolling out FTTP networks. One such altnet, CityFibre, recently announced their plans to raise £200m to fund the expansion of its full fibre footprint to further locations and into the residential market.

Bristol University, King’s College London and The University of Surrey will share £16m in government funding to keep the UK at the forefront of 5G technology development. The new 5G test network will be the first part of a four-year 5G testbed and trial programme with the aim of delivering an end-to-end 5G trial in Q1 of 2018.

A small scale mobile network is to be created by each university that’ll combine to form a single 5G Hub test network. These individual networks will contain a number of the elements that are expected to be present in commercial 5G networks when they arrive in 2020, such as receivers and transmitters plus the technology to handle 5G signals.

This ‘5G Hub’, as The University of Surrey calls it, will become the foundation for a series of related projects such as connected cars and autonomous driving. It’s expected to be ready for expansion to include other organisations from 2018.

The government’s intention in funding this test network is to make sure the UK hits the ground running with 5G, which could be worth £173 billion to the economy.

Minister for Digital, Matt Hancock said: “We want to be at the head of the field in 5G. This funding will support the pioneering research needed to ensure we can harness the potential of this technology to spark innovation, create new jobs and boost the economy. We know 5G has the potential to bring more reliable, ultra-fast mobile connectivity, with quicker reaction times and larger data capabilities, and I’m thrilled to announce King’s College London and the universities of Surrey and Bristol have agreed to collaborate on this project.”

The 5G spectrum auction will take place before the end of the year and the rules are in place by the regulator.

What I know so far…

190MHz of the spectrum will be auctioned in all.

40MHz in the immediately useable 2.3GHz band is currently supported by various devices including Apple and Samsung devices.

150MHz in the 3.4GHz band isn’t compatible with many current devices but will be useable in the future.

The latter part of the spectrum will be fundamental to the rollout of 5G so it’ll be valuable to all the major networks. (There are some limits on how much the operators can acquire.)

Ofcom is placing a cap of 255MHz on the immediately useable spectrum that any mobile network can hold as a result of this auction. This will restrict the ability for some networks to bid on the 2.3GHz band and Ofcom are also placing a cap of 340MHz on the overall amount of spectrum that any network can hold as a result of the 5G spectrum auction. These caps are necessary because there are existing imbalances in the amount of spectrum acquired by the UK’s major network operators – that’s a problem because lack of spectrum could make it hard for networks to keep up with demand, especially as demand is expected to go-through-the-roof come 2020.

Ofcom is also wary that spectrum in the 3.6 to 3.8GHz band won’t be available for 5G use as soon as expected which makes the spectrum that’s being auctioned even more valuable!

What the caps mean for EE (BT Mobile)… EE has most of the spectrum at the moment (255MHz in total) which means they won’t be able to bid on the 2.3GHz band at all. They’re still some way below the overall spectrum cap of 340MHz though, which means they could potentially win up to 85Mhz of the 3.4GHz band.

That wouldn’t be a bad result as that’ll be more than half the total amount that’s being auctioned in that band. If EE did come away with that amount of the 5G spectrum, they would have acquired 37% of the useable spectrum – a figure which includes 80MHz in the 700MHz band.

One thing to note, just because EE could potentially have that much of the available spectrum doesn’t mean it will actually get it. Ofcom have set reserve prices of £10m per 10MHz lot of the 2.3GHz band and £1 million for a 5MHz block in the 3.4GHz band.

Another element worth noting is the fact that Ofcom will award the spectrum to the network(s) that are “most likely to put it to the best use in the interest of consumers”, not just those with the deepest pockets!

If EE does hit the 340MHz cap, that won’t help EE today as it’s not part of the immediately useable spectrum, however, it puts the company in a very strong position for the launch of 5G.

What the caps mean for Vodafone… Vodafone has the second most spectrum with 176MHz overall which, like EE, is also immediately ready-to-use. That means the network can grab up to 160MHz of the spectrum in the 5G auction but unlike EE, it’s not prevented from bidding on the 2.3GHz band. Assuming Vodafone comes away with 160MHz (very unlikely due to fierce competition) it depends on how the spectrum is split as to where that leaves the network. Theoretically it could come away with all 40MHz of immediately useable spectrum which could boost its current network, or, it could grab all of the 5G-focused 3.4GHz band or a combination of the two.

What the caps mean for Three… 3 currently has 90MHz of immediately useable spectrum and 40GHz that should be useable by 2020. As such there are no caps on what it can bid on or acquire during the auction. Although it’s not possible for Three to get close to EE or Vodafone’s immediately useable spectrum, it’s feasible that it could level out with them in terms of total spectrum – though only if it comes away with the bulk of the spectrum being auctioned.

Whats the caps mean for O2… O2 is in a similar boat to 3 but with even less spectrum – just 86MHz, all of which is immediately useable. As such there’s no restrictions on what it can bid for in the 5G spectrum auction. Theoretically, it could come away with all the auctioned spectrum which would give it marginally more than EE to play with – though most of that won’t be immediately useable, which EE’s is.

Please note, it’s highly unlikely that any one network would win all the spectrum that’s being auctioned but it’s clear from the caps that Ofcom wants to even-things-up – don’t be surprised if O2 and Three come away with a lot!

Avanti provides satellite communication services across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and now it’s been appointed as the Project Coordinator of the Satellite & Terrestrial Network for 5G project (SaT5G).

The SaT5G consortium has sixteen partners, all with links to the telecommunications industry – key partners include Airbus Defence & Space, BT and various educational institutions to conduct research. The good news also involves a number of mobile network operators.

This project will go on until 2020 and is intended to provide the seamless integration of satellite technology into future 5G networks. Having won this massive tender, Avanti will research, develop and validate key technologies to enhance 5G cellular technology. Some of the primary research areas that have been identified for Avanti to address include extending 5G security to satellite and multicast for content distribution. Following on from the research and development phase, live demonstrations are expected to take place at the project’s testbeds in the UK, Finland and Germany.

David Williams, Chief Executive of Avanti, said: “Avanti already leads the world in mission critical 4G satellite backhaul through its $29m contract with EE for the Emergency Services Network. We are proud to be leading the SaT5G project, with great players in the industry, to ensure the integration of satellite communications effectively into the future 5G architecture. “Satellite communication systems will support the ubiquity, resilience and efficiency of 5G services; and open markets by offering exciting new business opportunities in media distribution, transport and underserved areas. 5G is the future and we are pleased to be making progress to ensure Avanti is 5G ready.”

It’s also expected that the project will drive 5G standardisation, and will even contribute to the definition of the 5G system.

Multiple-Input Multiple-Output is a wireless technology that allows for more data transfer to be made, simultaneously. Using multiple transmitters and receivers, all wireless products with 802.11n support MIMO and the technology enables 802.11n to reach higher speeds than products without 802.11n.

Large-scale MIMO projects are already live in China and Japan – Vodafone claims to be the first European network to deploy it!

MIMO is going to be essential for 5G networks to operate efficiently. Its base stations are formed of 64 transmit and 64 receive streams, whereas a normal 4G antenna only has two parts. This reflects the fact that much more data can be sent and received simultaneously in a 5G environment which means it will also be more responsive to devices transmitting in higher frequency bands. Not only will this improve coverage generally, it will have a big impact on indoor connectivity which is very suitable for our new home customers when BT and/or Virgin aren’t available.

MIMO utilises “beamforming” technology – this allows for a targeted and efficiently apportioned use of spectrum rather than the current situation where a single pool of spectrum is shared by all users in an area – hence why public WiFi services sometimes appear slow!

Beamforming is a process that allows you to focus your WiFi signal, like a dedicated broadband link. Instead of your router pushing out a WiFi signal and becoming weaker the further you go from it, the connection becomes stronger.

Kye Prigg, Vodafone UK’s head of mobile networks commented: “This is huge. Massive MIMO is what 5G is going to be all about. This is [one of] the building blocks of 5G. This brings you massive amounts of sensitivity because you’ve got all these receivers but it also brings you very powerful beam forming.”

Vodafone UK is upgrading 9 sites this week with beamforming technology and the number will increase to thirty in the coming months. Hotspots will become the obvious choice for upgrades so expect cities and sports events to be prioritised first.

Did you know that the iPhone 6 & 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 & S8 can already take advantage of MIMO technology! Could the new TardisMobile Smartphone also be compatible…? Find out later in the year!

If you’re interested in SIM only offers with month-by-month flexibility, please get in touch!

5G will connect industries in the future and will therefore require new service delivery models to offer network and communication services. The virtualisation technologies in reducing costs and optimising services will be paramount and so will be the availability of APIs to third-party service providers – they can optimise delivery using location awareness, content adaptation and caching.

To maintain a good level of privacy currently offered by 4G, 5G will require fresh involvement that will cater to the actions of commercial entities, individuals and will also focus on the protection of user metadata and communication, especially where big data analytics are involved. A multi-stakeholder approach involving operators, vendors, regulators, policy-makers, and representatives of 5G users are essential for ensuring cost-efficiency, trustworthiness, and security of 5G networks. Standards defined by industry bodies like ISO, IEC and the CSA will also help shape the role 5G aspires to play for enterprises, public safety, and industrial automation.

5G will require a number of new approaches, namely identity management, radio network security, flexible and scalable security architecture, energy efficient security and cloud security, all of which will create an evolved and trustworthy 5G security architecture. To prevent cyber-attacks that may act as “Trojan Horses”, devices will be required to comply with a wide range of security requirements and will have different security postures like industry automation control devices, climate monitoring sensors, tablets and smartphones.

The giant that is EE has become the first UK mobile carrier to show pre–5G backhaul technology by using its Helikite ‘air mast’ solution. Helikite is the name of EE’s existing balloon-based mobile coverage system, which was initially designed to supply rural communities with 4G connectivity. It’s also intended to be used during disaster recovery and search and rescue scenarios.

It works by attaching mini mobile sites to a helium balloon, thus providing 4G mobile coverage over a wide area where no masts exist – or where existing masts have been damaged. EE has also successfully experimented with using drones for a more targeted approach.

The success of this testing sees pre–5G network technology operating on millimetre wave (mmWave) frequencies in the 26GHz test spectrum. Although not quite 5G-standard, the resulting improvement to speed and latency serves to increase the number of people that the air mast can keep connected, as well as boosting their mobile internet speeds.

Marc Allera, EE CEO, said: “Innovation is what drives advances in technology, and it’s what keeps making UK consumers’ experience of mobile better and better. The EE network will go from strength to strength thanks to BT’s incredible R&D capabilities and our commitment to delivering what our customers need. Today’s demonstration is a great example of that: we know that we need better solutions to keep customers connected in the most rural parts of the UK and during disasters, and we can make that solution even more powerful by developing ground breaking pre-standard 5G technology. This is not 5G, but it is a technology that’s an important stepping stone to 5G. We’re working hard to adopt the principles and the technologies that will become 5G, and to showcase what benefits these can bring to our customers.”

The three-year Metro-Haul project will develop and test optical network technologies that will integrate with and support 5G wireless technology.

In particular, the idea is to create a network infrastructure that can support the increase in data traffic when 5G arrives from 2020. 5G is expected to form the basis for the expanding IoT as well as smart cities, autonomous cars, and various other high speed, low-latency applications of the near future. Following a final demonstration of the Metro-Haul solution some time in 2019, the project will release its software as a public repository, and will then work with the relevant standardisation bodies to promote its solution.

Zeetta Networks is one of 21 partners in the wider Metro-Haul consortium, which includes various members of the European telecoms industry. Led by BT, other partners include Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Ericsson and Nokia, as well as European research hubs such as University of Bristol and Fraunhofer Institute.

Vassilis Seferidis, CEO of Zeetta Networks said: “We are very proud to have played a key role in this successful EU funding bid and to be collaborating with such a group of leading researchers, Tier 1 telecoms operators, innovative SMEs, and influencers in the 5G space. This three-year project scored very highly with the judging panel recognising its importance and the huge implications it brings to the telecoms industry and the verticals they support.”

Zeetta Networks itself is a spin-out company from the University of Bristol, focusing on the development and marketing of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) solutions. The company recently put its technology to use by teaming up with Bristol City Football Club to provide its Ashton Gate stadium with a cutting edge High Density Wi-Fi solution. Zeetta’s “Software Defined Networking-enabled ‘bare metal’ technology approach” meant that the WiFi network could cope with the stadium’s large concrete and metal structures, as well as with the huge number of users present within a relatively small area on match days.

The UK mobile network has revealed that it is spending £80 million to install 1,400 small cells in collaboration with Cisco across key areas of Greater London by the end of 2017.

It’s expected that the provision of these small cells will enhance the mobile signal, both indoors and outdoors, for businesses and consumers in London. Crucially, it will also pave the way for the rapid deployment of 5G connectivity when it starts to become available to the public from 2020.

Derek McManus, COO of O2, said: “We recognise that customers’ need for mobile data in London and other urban areas continues to grow at a rapid pace. We understand the importance of digital connectivity in terms of driving the economy and ensuring that London can continue to compete on a global scale. This is why we’re investing in a range of innovative measures from small cells to macro masts in order to ensure we continue to give customers what they need; reliability and coverage wherever they go.”

Small cells in the city

As the name suggests, these small cells will be significantly more compact and numerous than the hulking phone masts of the 4G generation and earlier. In fact, they’re small enough to attach to lampposts and onto the sides of buildings.

It’s all part of O2’s wider plan to prepare for the oncoming 5G revolution. Earlier in the year, O2 issued a report stating that 5G is likely to overtake fibre broadband in economic terms by 2026.

Around the same time, it was also announced that O2 would be creating a free public Wi-Fi network powered by 4G technology for the City of London area, also known as the Square Mile. This is initially intended to provide enhanced mobile coverage in an area where the presence of tall buildings causes problems for smartphone users.

Once again, though, the long-term aim of this move is to prepare the City for speedy 5G adoption when it arrives.

A new product from Cobham Wireless will enable major network operators and network equipment manufacturers to test 5G network performance. Pretty exciting stuff! But, how will it work? Quite simple actually… it will simulate multiple devices connecting to a 5G network simultaneously, just as they will do in real life… (likely to be ready by 2020).

Combined with its application emulation and security performance solution, Cobham believes that it will be able to offer a “complete end-to-end 5G test solution”.

Cobham claims that the TM500 is flexible and scalable, and will be able to facilitate the move from legacy 3G and 4G standards to the 5G era. In particular, it can be used to validate new 5G features such as carrier aggregation and beamforming, and can operate across multiple radio frequencies in the mmWave and sub–6GHz bands.

Ian Langley, SVP and GM at Cobham Wireless, said: “Developing and validating their 5G networks using the TM500 will give our customers the confidence to deploy the infrastructure needed to support next generation technologies, such as mobile edge computing. This will offer reduced latency and faster processing for new services, expediting the commercial roll-out of  IoT applications such as connected cars, smart healthcare devices, and advanced AR and VR.”

Cobham Wireless’s TM500 family has been used by most of the world’s major network equipment manufacturers and operators for delivering 2G, 3G and 4G solutions to the market. That elevated status seems unlikely to change with the arrival of 5G.