3GPP first 5G release: System architecture milestone of 5G is achieved on time.
In March 2017, the industry agreed to a plan to accelerate up the 5G standardisation schedule and it was agreed to split up the specification of Release 15 (i.e. 5G) into two phases, Release 15 NSA (Non-standalone) as a priority and Release 15 Full (with standalone) scheduled for later in 2018.
On December 21st, 2017, the 3GPP TSG RAN announced it successfully completed the first implementable 5G NR specification at its Plenary Meeting in Lisbon. AT&T, BT, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, Intel, KT Corporation, LG Electronics, LG Uplus, MediaTek Inc., NEC Corporation, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, Sony Mobile Communications Inc., Sprint, TIM, Telefonica, Telia Company, T-Mobile USA, Verizon, Vodafone, and ZTE have made a statement that the completion of the first 5G NR standard has set the stage for the global mobile industry to start full-scale development of 5G NR for large-scale trials and commercial deployments as early as in 2019.
The 5G stage 2 level specifications include the overall architecture model and principles, eMBB data services, subscriber authentication and service usage authorization, application support in general, but also specifically for applications closer to the radio as with edge computing. Its support for IMS includes also emergency and regulatory services specifics. Further, the 5G system architecture model uniformly enables user services with different access systems, like fixed network access or WLAN, from the onset. The system architecture provides interworking with and migration from 4G, network capability exposure and numerous other functionalities. The complete description is provided by the delivered specifications TS 23.501, TS 23.502 and TS 23.503.
Continuation of work
After the stage 2 level specifications from an overall, architectural perspective, the work continues in all WGs (RAN, security, OAM and CT). Stage 3 level specifications are expected until June 2018.
AT&T
AT&T expects fixed 5G in 2018 and mobile 5G in few markets late in 2018.
In 2017, AT&T also launched pre-standards 5G fixed wireless trials in Austin, Texas; Waco, Texas; Kalamazoo, Michigan and South Bend, Indiana with residential, small business, and education customers. AT&T plans to launch mobile 5G this year in 12 U.S. cities, and the carrier says the service will rely on small cells deployed closer to the ground than the tower top radios that support LTE. AT&T’s first round of mobile 5G will use millimeter wave spectrum.
Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless achieved better results from mmwaves trials than expected, late in 2018 for fixed wireless 5G
Outputs from trials in 11 markets showed better results than originally expected when it comes to propagation and range. The tests were using 28 GHz spectrum and 120+ nodes.
Propagation of mmwaves is a little better in terms of LoS (Line of Sight) and elevation: signals could reach the 19th floor instead of the 6th as anticipated.
Speeds in the 1 Gbps range were reached beyond 2,000 feet (600 m) in specific cases while they expected 600 feet (180 m)
Trials proved a better penetration through various wall materials (including low E glass) and could achieved to get signals into homes.
Latency achieved was under 10ms
Regarding density, trial results showed that in in dense urban areas, street coverage at 28 GHz in good on existing infrastructure.
Mobile 5G “is not going to be a thing for Verizon in 2018”. But fixed wireless 5G is expected to be launched in 3 to 5 US cities by the end of 2018 (instead of 2019).
Europe
On the other side of the Atlantic ocean, deployments are accelerating. 3.4-3.8 GHz spectrum will be auctioned in few countries in the next couple of years and will likely host first city trials. To this end, a number of cities have been selected for 5G trials.
In France, the Ministry has just issued a public consultation on 5G, for a response by 15th February 2018, whereas the NRA, ARCEP, is boosting the development with 9 trials cities. To his end, temporary licences for 3.4 to 3.8 GHz are already available in the metropolitan areas of Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille, Le Havre, Saint-Étienne, Douai, Montpellier and Grenoble.
In Italy, 5 cities will launch pre-commercial trials of 5G networks, namely Milan, Prato, L’Aquila, Bari and Matera. As a consequence, the government will make available spectrum in the 3.4 and 3.8 GHz bands for the 5G trials and auction it at the beginning of 2018.At the same time, the “5G for Italy” initiative was launched by TIM and Ericsson to speed up creation of a 5G ecosystem in Italy. The 5G for Italy programme focuses on implementation of pilot projects and applications in specific markets: security, transportation, manufacturing, automotive and health. TIM plans 5G launch for 2020 in the 700 MHz frequencies. Tests are scheduled to start in 2018 in Turin which was elected as the first 5G city in Italy.
Other countries are expected to follow rapidly on the 3.4-3.8 GHz frequencies.
SELFNET will present in this workshop its network management framework, which provides three major benefits for 5G networks:
The SELFNET framework helps operators build a resilient network infrastructure for 5G, which makes the most effective use of the network technologies they already have.
The SELFNET framework enables service providers to significantly reduce the time for service creation, depending on the conditions down to about 10 minutes. The SELFNET framework can help network operators significantly reduce the total cost of ownership for their network infrastructures.
MWC’18
Barcelona, Spain- February 26th- March 1st
The next MWC will be again a major promotion opportunity for 5G PPP projects. 5G-IA and 5G PPP participation are on going. A stand has been booked in Hall 7. Videos from 5G PPP projects will be displayed; paper brochures will also be available there.
Four 5G PPP Projects will have demos/videos : 5GCAR, 5GXHaul, 5GMoNarch and ONE5G, respectively at the MWCapital booth and at the Conference session on « 5G & IoT use cases ».
More information disclosed later as the organisation progresses. If you are a 5G PPP project wishing to participate/help, do not hesitate to contact Jacques Magen (To-Euro-5G/InterInnov), jmagen@interinnov.eu. or Alessandro Bedeschi (5G-IA), alessandro.bedeschi@5g-ppp.eu.
5G PPP @WCNC’18
Barcelona, Spain – April 15-18, 2018
The 2018 edition of this conference will be held in Barcelona on April 15-18, 2018 at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) and will be organized by the Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC).
WCNC’18 is seen as a major dissemination opportunity for 5G PPP phase 2 projects.
Three phase 2 projects will be present @WCNC’18.
ONE-5G, 5G-XCast and 5G-Transformer.
One5G and 5G-Xcast are co-organizing a joint workshop on cm-wave and mm-wave based communications for 5G Networks (CmMmW5G). 5G-TRANSFORMER co-organises the First Workshop of COntrol and Management of network slices for VERTicals (COMVERT). 5G-CORAL as complementary 5G project will also be there. It co-organises the First International Workshop on Edge and Fog Systems for 5G & Beyond (IWEF). At last, the 5G-Miedge, TWEETHER and ULTRAWAVE projects organise a Special Session Workshop on “Economics and Adoption of Millimeter Wave Technology in Future Networks”.
5th Global 5G Event
Austin, TX USA- May 16th-17th
As stated by Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas in Seoul late November 2017 (4th Global 5G Event), the next Global 5G Event will be organised by 5G Americas in Austin, TX, on May 16th and 17th. The 5G New Horizons Wireless Symposium is co-located with both 5G North America and BCE at the Austin Convention Center.
See here for additional information on the Symposium. Organisation on the 5G-IA 5G PPP side will be disclosed later.
5G-MoNArch @ICC’18
Kansas City, USA – May 20-24
“Communications for Connecting Humanity”
5G-MoNArch organises a Workshop on 5G Architecture on May 24th, 2018. View the CfP here. Paper submission deadline is January 3rd, 2018.
CLEEN’18 / VTC’18 Spring
Porto, Portugal – June 3rd
6th International Workshop in conjunction with VTC’18 Spring
“Cloud Technologies and Energy Efficiency in Mobile Communication Networks”
In this 2018 edition, a particular emphasis to edge cloud, MEC and vertical segments will be given, due to the growing interest of these topics toward 5G networks.
The ONE5G project focuses on boosting the capacity of mobile networks, improving their energy efficiency and enabling a variety of new vertical use cases in dense urban areas as well as in rural environments. ONE5G has received eight million Euros in funding from the European Commission under the EU’s “Horizon 2020” initiative to drive research that enables a swift move towards 5G NR and advance digitization.
The 5G CHAMPION “5G Communication with a Heterogeneous, Agile Mobile network in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic competition” Project develops key enabling technologies for a proof-of-concept environment to be showcased at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Korea. This will allow maximum visibility for the available technology two years ahead of 2020, i.e. the official launch of 5G. 5G-CHAMPION is led by CEA-LETI on the EU side and by ETRI on the South Korean side.
Several workshops focusing on 5G. Several 5G PPP projects involved.
A main 5G workshop approaching the last innovations and research activities in 5G PPP is organised:
Phase 2 in 5G PPP: from Theoretical Studies to Proof-of-Concepts and Technology Demonstrators. The workshop includes the following topics:
• 5G New Radio: novel techniques in modulation, coding and waveform.
• Beamforming and massive MIMO.
• 5G Radio Access Network design.
• 5G Core Network design.
• Network Slicing for dynamically adaptable 5G networks.
• Proof-of-concepts, prototypes and demonstrations for 5G.
• Technology advancements for specific verticals such as M&E, IoT or automotive.
Moreover, the conference will hold specific workshops organized by one Phase 1 project (5G-Ex) and several 5G PPP Phase 2 projects: 5G-Ex (“Control and Management of Vertical Slicing including the Edge and Fog Systems” ), 5G-Xcast (“Point-to-Multipoint as Key Technology Element for 5G Systems”), IoRL (“A Scalable and License Free 5G Internet of Radio Light Architecture for Services in Homes and Businesses”) 5G-Transformer (“Control and Management of Vertical Slicing including the Edge and Fog Systems” with 5G-CORAL and 5G-Ex), Bluespace (“5G Infrastructure: Requirements and Enablers from Broadcasting and Multimedia Applications”), NGPaaS (“Accelerating Microservices: Design and Development” ) and 5G-MEDIA (“Media delivery innovations using flexible network models in 5G”).
IEEE 5G World Forum
Santa Clara CA, USA- July 9-11
Special session during the IEEE 5G World Forum on “Disrupting Media and Entertainment in the 5G Era” organised and co-sponsored by 5G-XCast.
SPEED-5G Workshop
London, UK- March 7
SPEED-5G project sponsors a workshop on Advanced Spectrum Management in 5G+ Networks. Addressed to both industry and academia, it reports interesting novel results of international research projects on some selected aspects of 5G and beyond networks with main focus on dynamic spectrum access techniques. Attendees will have the opportunity to listen to technical presentations in the lecture room, as well as to witness live demonstrations of some key results, in dedicated adjacent small rooms.
From 10:00 till 17:00 in dedicated rooms live demonstrations will be available for interested participants, running in parallel to the presentations held in the lecture room. Attendance is open to the public, but is subject to a previous free registration via the Registration Form. Due to the limited room capacity, acceptance is based on a first come-first served base.
The next MWC will be again a major promotion opportunity for 5G PPP projects. 5G-IA and 5G PPP participation are on going. A stand has been booked in Hall 7. Videos from 5G PPP projects will be displayed; paper brochures will also be available there.
As stated by Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas in Seoul late November 2017 (4th Global 5G Event), the next Global 5G Event will be organised by 5G Americas in Austin, TX, on May 16th and 17th. The 5G New Horizons Wireless Symposium is co-located with both 5G North America and BCE at the Austin Convention Center.
