Increasing demand for higher-speed internet for both consumers and enterprise customers is driving the upward swing in 5G deployment globally. Key trends include open radio access network (RAN) making gains, 5G mmWave under development and growth in consumer mobile services. These have an impact on all devices in the 5G chain from smartphones, tablets and infrastructure equipment to the components and modules used in these devices and equipment.
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In the July/August issue, we’ll look at some of the latest advances in component and module development, where we are starting to see some features that support the 3rd Generation Partnership Project’s (3GPP’s) Release 17 and 18. Release 17 includes a range of enhancements for existing capabilities, such as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) and power savings and new features like non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) and higher-frequency bands. Release 18, the first release of 5G Advanced, addresses new capabilities like AI/ML, extended-reality (XR) and network energy savings, along with enhancements to existing features.
We’ll also cover some of the latest 5G technology advances and new capabilities and the impact of emerging metaverse use cases on 5G networks.
The opportunities of the metaverse are vast, and so are the potential impacts and demands on 5G networks, according to Michael Inouye, principal analyst at ABI Research. However, the use cases are either niche or further out on the time horizon before they play a larger role, he said.
Inouye also discusses the technological and market development needed to build up the metaverse while considering what a future metaverse will require of 5G, 5G Advanced and future 6G networks. He also shares the key milestones that need to be reached before there are significant impacts on 5G networks.
Also potentially having a big impact on 5G mobile networks are NTNs, where satellites will be able to transmit and process data in place of terrestrial base stations. 3GPP’s Release 17 includes the first enhancements to support 5G NTNs.
“5G technology can potentially migrate parts of the mobile network infrastructure to space through NTNs” and “significantly improve mobile network coverage and connection continuity compared with conventional terrestrial network architectures and provide a disaster-proof solution for emergency communications,” said Xiang Li, industry solution marketing engineer at Keysight Technologies. NTNs will also bring environmental and energy-efficient benefits and enable many new IoT applications, he said.
Li also covers the different NTN architectures defined by 3GPP, NTN challenges and use cases enabled by NTNs.
Some of those NTN challenges involve testing. With NTNs come new implementation and testing challenges, said Dylan McGrath, 5G marketing manager at Keysight Technologies. These challenges include integration with terrestrial networks, satellite link delays and Doppler errors.
McGrath covers some of the biggest challenges, such as narrowing down the possible causes of problems that relate to new functionality of the system under test, fixed-delay testing and testing with real and simulated base stations.
On the component side, RF front-end (RFFE) modules offer challenges for chipset makers as the deployment and services provided by 5G technology become widespread, according to contributing writer Stefano Lovati. “With the addition of new advanced capabilities—such as orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing [OFDM] for data transmission, MIMO technology for improved signal reception and throughput, and carrier aggregation—the complexity of the RFFE design increased.”
In addition, the faster data transfer, higher bandwidth, lower latency and greater reliability of 5G wireless communication technology, while supporting new technologies like autonomous vehicles, smart-city infrastructure and augmented reality, are driving the need for advanced electronic components and materials that can operate at high frequencies and power levels with minimal energy consumption, Lovati said.
Wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors are among the technologies with unique properties that make them suited for 5G applications, he said: “One key advantage of WBG semiconductors, such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride, is their ability to handle high voltages and operate at high frequencies.”
Many 5G chipmakers are also addressing the challenge of adding more RF antennas to 5G-enabled devices. They are meeting the need for higher-performance, higher-efficiency and lower-power–consumption 5G chips and modules with new features and higher functionality.
Don’t miss the roundup of products launched at Sensors Converge. These new products range from radar sensors and ultra-wideband proximity sensors to inertial measurement units and all-in-one sensor modules for a range of applications, including automotive, industrial and consumer electronics.
Click here to read or download the July/August issue.
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