5G still in ‘hype cycle,’ WiFi to drive home connectivity for a while: Intel

TORONTO — It will be a long time before the home network is replaced by the dense connectivity that 5G is expected to provide, an Intel Corp. representative said at an industry conference on Wednesday. “It’s not that we’re not huge believers in 5G, but...until we bring down those costs, until we overcome those economic barriers, it will be many years before 5G will be so ubiquitous,” said Lance Koenders, global director of service provider sales for Intel’s smart and connected home division. The comments came at the tail end of a presentation about the next generation of WiFi technologies that would allow for true gigabit connectivity in the home in 2019 on the final day of the ISP Summit in Toronto. “Much to the 5G hype, WiFi will be the primary network in your home for quite some time,” he said. Part of why the 5G train is so far down the track is because of the focus on certain spectrum, Koenders argued. For example, he noted that millimetre wave spectrum is “not really conducive to universal coverage,” yet it’s spectrum many are focusing on for 5G. Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada has already had a consultation on the mmWave spectrum, and has set out 2021 for an auction of some of that spectrum. Meanwhile, in the United States, an auction for more mmWave spectrum is expected to take bids next week. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already made a chunk of the spectrum available for wireless use last year. Both Canadian and U.S. carriers have claimed that mmWave is an important part of their 5G deployment, but their focus is misguided, Koenders said. But an internal ISED report published last year and obtained via an access to information request noted that mmWave spectrum is still a very long way away from being a key enabler of 5G, and suffers from “major hurdles” including signal interference. More recently, last month, ISED published a request for proposals for an mmWave test bed to trial the spectrum, for completion within three years. Koenders said Europe’s focus on the 6 GHz spectrum and below and how to deploy it has put it in a better position to begin laying out the next generation networks because those spectrum bands allow you to get ubiquitous coverage, which can then be filled in with mmWave. “Realistically, starting with mmwave feels like it’s more hype,” he said. But it isn’t just 5G that will see humps in its journey to the mainstream. Internet of things (IoT) devices looking to go to market will likely be backlogged for reasons including certification costs and compatibility with the carriers’ networks, especially if the devices use licensed spectrum, Koenders said.

5G still in ‘hype cycle,’ WiFi to drive home connectivity for a while: Intel

Brief | November 7, 2018

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

5G still in ‘hype cycle,’ WiFi to drive home connectivity for a while: Intel

Brief | November 7, 2018

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Related Stories

Ericsson invests $634 million in R&D in Canada

Ericsson proud of research and development facilities in Canada

Rogers spends $8 million upping capacity at Toronto stadium; TTC work remains underway

SaskTel rolls out 5G service to more than 50 rural and remote areas

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us