Global technology company Huawei demonstrated its vision for a more connected and intelligent future at the 2023 Global Mobile Broadband Forum (MBBF), where it shared its latest innovations and solutions on 5.5G. Through compelling demonstrations and discussions, the company brought to life how 5G-Advanced, also known as 5.5G, networks are primed to revolutionise experiences for people and industries worldwide.
One major highlight was the unveiling of the world’s first 5G Advanced (5G-A) Smart Home Villa in partnership with du. Powered by a groundbreaking 10Gbps connection, the villa represented the boundless horizons that 5.5G connectivity can reach.
The evolution of 5G to 5.5G: A paradigm shift
The telecommunications landscape has been evolving rapidly since the inception of 5G. This remarkable transformation is propelled by the continuous innovation of technology giants like Huawei, who are determined to redefine the next phase of connectivity. In March 2023, Huawei and du signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that laid the foundation for 5.5G-centered technological innovations, application explorations, and ecosystem developments. The 5G-A Villa unveiled during MBBF 2023 is a testament to the fruitful outcomes of this partnership.
With applications like naked-eye 3D and extended reality, the 5G-A Villa offers a glimpse into the data-rich experiences that deterministic, multi-gigabit home networks can enable.
As consumer expectations continue to soar, the demand for network capabilities has amplified. This has led carriers to elevate their home networks to an astonishing 10Gbps, and the 5G-A Villa is a remarkable showcase of this capability. It highlights the potential for the residential sector to benefit from such high-speed networks, making it clear that the future of smart homes is indeed bright.
For operators dedicated to enhancing residential services like du, 5G-A’s speeds open limitless opportunities.
The Global Mobile Broadband Forum: Shaping the future
The unveiling of the 5G-A Villa was not an isolated event. It was part of the 14th Global Mobile Broadband Forum, which had the theme “Bring 5.5G into Reality.” This forum, held from October 10 to 11 in Dubai, UAE, was hosted by Huawei and supported by industry partners GSMA, GTI, and the SAMENA Telecommunications Council.
At MBBF, Huawei executives and telco industry leaders reinforced their commitment to working hand in hand on network enhancements, application explorations and stimulating new commercial uses of 5G-A networks.
“5G is a critical part of new economic transformation,” said Li Peng, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President, Huawei Carrier BG. “And it’s enabling innovation in general-purpose technologies. For digital industries, 5G is developing fast, opening up new markets and opportunities.”
Li emphasised the vital need for future mobile networks to encompass six critical features: a 10 Gbps downlink, 1 Gbps uplink, deterministic networking, support for a hundred billion IoT connections, integrated sensing and communication, and native AI capabilities. Achieving these milestones requires carriers and industry stakeholders to not only continually enhance their capabilities within three fundamental usage scenarios, namely enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type communications (mMTC), and ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) but also to cultivate three novel capabilities, including Uplink Centric Broadband Communication (UCBC) and Real-Time Broadband Communication (RTBC).
While discussing 5G-Advanced, the next evolutionary stride in 5G technology, Li underscored the industry’s imperative need for collaborative efforts to foster the growth of device and application ecosystems. This entails validating use case scenarios and expediting the large-scale commercialisation of Fixed Wireless Access Square, Passive IoT, and RedCap, representing a crucial step forward.
These collective endeavours are paramount to harnessing the potential of the five emerging trends that are set to mould an intelligent digital future. These trends include Glasses-free 3D, which is advancing with cloud rendering and virtual humans, and a shift that will drastically increase data traffic. Second is the rise of Self-Guided Vehicles, which is expected to reach over 500 million by 2025 and will rely on high-bandwidth networks. Another trend is Next-Gen Manufacturing, which will see increased reliance on wireless networks, and pose higher requirements on 5G networks. Next is Generalised Cellular IoT, which will see 5G support a broader range of IoT technologies such as medium-speed RedCap and Passive IoT. Finally, Guaranteed Intelligent Computing Everywhere, which is driven by the growing demands for AI and compute power is expected to reach 100 times greater than current levels in 2025.
Looking ahead
As 5G evolves, Huawei pledges ongoing support for global mobile networks. By driving key innovations and discussions at MBBF 2023, Huawei is demonstrating its commitment and unique capabilities in steering 5.5G momentum. Through innovation showcase, real-world accomplishments and rallying ecosystem support, the technology veteran continues to showcase how next-generation connectivity can reshape our digital-first future for the better.
