2016-03-15

Global 5G: Google's Project SkyBender, Facebook's Telecom Infra Project

5G (5th generation mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems) is the next major phase of mobile telecommunications standards following 4G/IMT-Advanced standards. 5G has speeds which surpass what the current 4G can offer. The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance defines the following requirements for 5G networks:
  • Data rates of tens of megabits per second, supported for tens of thousands of users
  • 1 gigabit per second simultaneously to many users on the same office floor
  • Several hundreds of thousands of simultaneous connections to be supported for massive sensor deployments
  • Enhanced spectral efficiency compared to 4G
  • Improved coverage
  • Enhanced signalling efficiency
  • Reduced latency compared to LTE

Global 5G is comingProject SkyBender (Google) and Telecom Infra Project (Facebook):

"Google’s secret project codenamed SkyBender is an important step toward delivering internet connectivity across the world. Google is testing millimeter wave radio transmissions using solar-powered drones in the project. With nearly two-thirds of the world’s population not having any internet connectivity yet, Google’s revenues could rise meaningfully if the project becomes successful .... Nearly two-thirds of the world's population doesn't have any form of internet connectivity yet. If Google can deliver internet connectivity to these people, and control what would be shown via agreements with telecom operators, its revenues will grow significantly. Project SkyBender is an important step in that direction."  -- Project SkyBender: Google's Secret Sauce To Conquer The World - Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) | Seeking Alpha (Feb 29, 2016).



"Facebook also made a less sexy though perhaps more important announcement: the launch of the Telecom Infra Project. A partnership with firms including Deutsche Telekom, SK Telecom, Intel, and Nokia, the initiative is designed to help build the next generation of wireless networks. People have been talking for some time about how long it will be before ultrafast 5G networks arrive. The current consensus is 2019 at the earliest ...."  -- Facebook Enters the Race to Build 5G Networks | Technology Review:

Adopting an open approach to global networks with the Telecom Infra Project | Engineering Blog | Facebook Code | Facebook"... a lot has already changed since 4G LTE hit the market, and the next several years will bring more of the same. Data traffic in the most advanced 4G LTE markets will triple in the next five years, while traffic in emerging economies is forecast to grow 9x in the same period. Not only are more people coming online, but they will have multiple connected devices. One industry group estimates that there will be more than 20 billion connected devices by 2020 [2]. By then, the amount of data exchanged over global mobile networks is expected to grow approximately 8x, to 30 exabytes per month [1]. The next-generation networks will have to offer better coverage at higher bit rates, support a higher number of simultaneously connected devices for any given area, and come with more flexibility at lower deployment costs ... Today we announced the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), an engineering-focused initiative that will drive the development of next-generation open components and reimagine ways of building and deploying telecom network infrastructure. The goal is to produce simple, efficient, and flexible technologies that are relevant to both existing and future networks. By working in the open, we can accelerate the pace of innovation and put the days of monolithic, costly evolution behind us ..."

Domain: telecominfraproject.com






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