According Huawei, “5.5G networks” give users an experience of 10-Gbps.
Huawei highlighted the key components for the upcoming “5.5G networks” at Mobile World Congress in 2023. The company uses this brand name to promote innovations in areas such as integrated sensing, communication, Level 4-autonomous driving, “all scenario IoT concepts”, and green ICT. The vendor also claimed that consumers would experience 10-Gbps speeds using 5.5G. This will enable immersive and interactive services.
The company added that latency, location accuracy, and reliability will all be tenfold improved in these future networks. The Chinese vendor also claims that there will be an additional 100 billion connected devices by 2030. This is a significant increase over the current 10 billion.
Huawei has also highlighted how passive IoT is enabling mobile connections to move from high-speed solutions to ultra-low speed passive solutions. “Passive IoT Tags can transmit data and be used on temperature sensors and for positioning. These tags are useful in many scenarios including automated inventory, livestock development and personal item positioning. More than 30 billion passive IoT (based on RFID technologies) tags are used each year. The number of passive IoT tag used annually is expected to increase as more industries become digital.
According to Huawei, the deployment of 5.5G network with sensing capability will be widespread, in applications such as perimeter sensing and intelligent city road traffic services. This will improve both the effectiveness and intelligence urban infrastructure. “5.5G networks can, for example, automatically identify road irregularities and barriers, and inform drivers via their maps one kilometer in advance. This improves transportation safety.”
Paul Scanlan (president advisor of Huawei’s carrier group) stated at a MWC media roundtable that the technical standards needed to be defined and an ecosystem still needs to be developed in order for 5.5G networks commercially launched.
The company says that all spectrum bands are compatible with 5.5G technology. The company claims that spectrum allocated to mobile operators is not enough for 5.5G. Operators may face some problems.
Huawei has said that the so-called “5.5G” technology relies heavily on the 6GHz band. The company has also urged regulators to reserve this band exclusively for mobile operators.
After the release of 3GPP Releases 18 and 19, the organization will focus on 6G. It is expected to be commercially available around 2030.
