5G Network: Next Generation Connectivity In Telecom Industry

A research conducted by the Global System of Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) in 2018 showed that about 5.17 billion people were already mobile in 2017 and this is projected to rise to 6 billion by 2025. Nigeria alone has about 106 million active internet subscribers going by September 2018 statistics.

Another research by Mckinsey Global also estimated that over 75 billion devices will be connected to the internet by the year 2025, with global economic contribution ranging from $3.9 to $11.1 trillion annually.

As a result of this, there is need to develop smarter and efficient ways of utilizing the already limited available resources in order to maximize the gains of these technologies.

Speaking at a one-day stakeholders forum to brainstorm on Nigeria’s readiness for 5G and High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) technology organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Abuja, the commission’s executive vice chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta pointed out the need for the nation to prepare itself to deploy appropriate technologies to enhance connectivity of the massive telecom consumer base.

He said though the 5G framework is still being defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), there was the need to prepare toward massive deployment of infrastructure tailored to support the technology.

He stressed that the step would ensure that Nigeria was not caught unawares when those frequency bands were harmonised by standardisation bodies, key among them being 26GHz, 38GHz and 42 GHz bands.

He said, “HAPS is one of the emerging technologies developed to compliment capacity expansion efforts to improve broadband access to both served and underserved areas, The technology is unique and promising, it is scalable and customisable, and therefore often equipped with mission-dependent payloads, which are intended to act as fixed stations, delivering services such as high-capacity wide area coverage broadband.

These, according to him, support rapid roll-out and had the ability to serve many users, using considerably less communications infrastructure being its key advantage as a wireless communication platform.

Danbatta who was represented by the commission’s director, spectrum administration, Mr Austine Nwaulune, said there was therefore the need for strategic government policies, robust frameworks and required infrastructure which was the reason for the forum.

In his capacity, Nwaulune said the technological evolution toward 5G and the role of HAPS to increase broadband penetration in Nigeria 5G networks are the next generation of connectivity in the telecommunications industry.

“What we are doing is to bring together stakeholders, people who are involved in one way or the other in 5G technology delivery and the regulatory conditions to discuss with them, rub minds and to guide us in taking further regulatory actions.

“It is the operators that deploy the networks once the standards are set and defined, the operators will roll out their networks that is when it is fully developed,’’ Nwaulune said.

Earlier, the president, Nigerian Institute of Information Communication Technology Engineers (NIICTE), Mr Austine Igbe, said the cost of not embracing technology was higher than the cost of ignoring it.

Meanwhile, the head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA, Akinwale Goodluck advised Nigeria to consider modernising regulations and policy reformations as crucial efforts to boosting the country’s digital economy.

He said: “Mobile connectivity has already improved the welfare of millions of Nigerians, opening the door to new digital possibilities and powering the country’s economic development.

“For Nigeria to take full advantage of the next phase of its digital transformation, it’s vital that collaboration between industry and government enables the right policy environment for millions more to benefit from ultra-fast mobile broadband. If policies don’t keep pace with the needs of society and technological innovation, there is a risk that citizens will be left behind and productivity and competitiveness will suffer,” he added.