No, the 5G we have now is not “real 5G”. Operators, in their eagerness to launch 5G coverage to differentiate themselves from low-cost brands or as an advertising argument, have embraced technologies that will not be the protagonists from the next few years. On the one hand, we have the use of 5G NSA, the specification that depends on the current 4G infrastructure to function. On the other hand, we have DSS, a technical shortcut that allows share frequencies between 4G and 5G. Although with differences in some aspects, both are not, by any means, what 5G should be in terms of speed, latency and capacity.
In the case of Movistar, the operator uses DSS or Dynamic Spectrum Sharing. This technology was launched in September 2020 and has quickly served to reach more than 80% of the population. The idea of this technology is that they allow dual use 4G and 5G with the aim of taking 5G from the first moment to the maximum population. In the presentation of this launch, Telefónica pointed out that this would be done to “Deploy the 5G SA (Stand Alone) network immediately afterwards, when the technology is fully available after standardization.” Now we know when all this will happen.
The arrival of 5G really to Movistar
A few days ago, Movistar set dates for the arrival of this technology. Basically, it was pointed out that “Telefónica 5G SA (Standalone) deployment will begin in 2022, which will allow all its functionalities to be available ”. As we know, this 5G is the one that offers maximum speed, minimum latency and superior capacity, but also enables functions such as network slicing.
Domestic users will benefit a lot from this new technology, but it will be industries and companies in general that will find differential uses. In fact, Telefónica has deployed nearly 80 use cases testing the advantages of this technology in all types of sectors. The operator believes that, it is expected that from 2022 and for the next 5 years, 40% of the industrial sector demands 5G connectivity.
The benefits are those already known as speed in the transmission of voice and data of up to 10 Gb / s, prioritization of traffic, private networks in an industrial environment, up to 1 million connected devices per square kilometer, low latency and maximum security with encrypted and interference-free networks.
The first 3 services to be marketed through Telefónica Tech are:
- AGV 5G robots that connect through an IoT route planning and visualization platform.
- 5G Remote Assistance Solutions with, optionally, augmented reality; Allows you to remotely operate or repair equipment.
- 5G Drone solutions to perform surveillance tasks in perimeter areas, inspection of land and fields, recordings of events and control of works.
In addition, the operator has confirmed that it will not stay there and that it will complete the range of solutions with others such as the digital twin to act in critical situations or Computer Vision and IoT solutions to promote Smart Cities.