High-Band Spectrum Seen Playing Big Role in 5G Deployment, Especially in Urban Areas
ORLANDO -- High-band spectrum is the "wave" of the future, industry officials told the Competitive Carriers Association Tuesday. A 28 GHz auction starts Nov. 14 and a 24 GHz auction about one month after completion of the 28 GHz auction (see 1809180056). Verizon launched the first commercial 5G network Monday using millimeter-wave spectrum (see 1810010028).
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The real “surprise” of high-band spectrum is how well it works, said John Godfrey, Samsung Electronics America senior vice president-public policy. “The expectation was you could never use that spectrum for mobile service because you needed direct line of sight, you needed a high-gain dish antenna pointed at another one.”
Millimeter wave works particularly well in dense, urban areas, Godfrey said. With modern technology and an array of antennas, “you can take advantages of reflections,” he said. The beams will bounce off buildings and won't penetrate them, he said. The signals tend to hold up over about 2,000 feet, he said. Rain doesn’t degrade connections, he said. Foliage does, but the beams bounce off tree trunks.
Outgoing CCA Chairman Brian Spurgeon, general manager of Chat Mobility, told us smaller players are likely to bid in the upcoming high-band auctions. Chat plans to participate, he said. “We feel like we don’t necessarily have uses for it immediately,” he said. “The way spectrum is in demand in our industry, we just know that … a year from now, two years from now, we’ll have a huge demand for it.” Many smaller carriers agree “there’s never enough spectrum” at the right price, Spurgeon said.
"The best band for 5G is the band that you have because it doesn't require any additional investment," Godfrey said.
“Technology will find a way” to overcome any problems and “will continue to evolve,” said Paul Challoner, Ericsson North America vice president-network product solutions. “The reality is” that the higher the data rate, the bigger investment needed in the network, he said. “What you really want to do is try to get all your customers on direct line of sight,” he said. “That guarantees the Gbps connection you’re offering.”
T-Mobile owns high-band spectrum at 28 and 39 GHz, said Steve Sharkey, vice president-government affairs. “We’ve been doing trials.” Sharkey questioned whether fixed 5G is really fifth generation. What Verizon launched was “fixed wireless to the home,” he said. “We are really focused on mobile 5G.” The carrier has announcements with Ericsson and Nokia for equipment, with 30 cites to have 5G by the end of the year, he said. The first 5G mobile devices will be available next year, he said.
Sharkey said 5G will require a combination of low-, mid- and high-band spectrum. The biggest gap in the U.S. is in the mid-band, he said. The 3.5 GHz band will help but isn’t perfect, he said. “There are still real limitations on that band,” he said. “It is still a shared band. There are still power limitations.”
Mississippi is one of the most rural states but needs high-speed connections, said Craig Sparks, C Spire chief innovation officer. “The technology's there, that's not the problem,” he said. “It all has to do with the implementation, how it hits the ground, how it interacts with real-world foliage and buildings.” Sparks wants to consider broadband to start at speeds of 100 Mbps: “It’s 2018.”