Some service providers have begun their 5G roll outs; others will launch theirs soon. But both must consider the proper strategy to ensure successful deployments. The articles in this edition of Lightwave On Topic: cover the subject from diverse angles, including the importance of time-sensitive networking, the support of network slicing, implementing routing in 5G support networks, and test considerations.
The optical fiber network infrastructures installed today will typically see four generations of transmission systems over the network’s expected lifetime. As recent history has shown, the amount of data traffic these networks will carry will increase dramatically and continuously. In order to cope with this increasing growth and anticipate the networks of tomorrow, a completely open spectral transmission window from 1260nm to 1625nm for data transmission and up to 1650nm for network monitoring is necessary in optical fiber cables.
Vendors offering pure-cloud solutions believe that hybrid cloud only delays the inevitable full migration to the cloud, while vendors offering hybrid solutions (generally those with legacy premises-based systems) claim that it offers benefits that pure-cloud solutions can’t provide. Is hybrid cloud the best or the worst of both worlds? The answer is, “It depends.”
5G Americas, an industry trade association, has published a 120-page white paper entitled: 5G: The Future of IoT exploring the market drivers and technology solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), trends in verticals and applications, and an overview of developments in global 3GPP standards for cellular IoT.
Fiber will provide the supporting infrastructure for 5G technology with wireless connectivity across network. The 5G network uses ‘small cellular radios’ also known as ‘small cells’ that extends the coverage of mobile networks and is deployed closer to the end users’ locations. Fiber network infrastructure offers the backhaul capacity to these small cells that require 5G and will further provide the density, accessibility and flexibility to support multiple applications needed for the future.
Join AFL for Webinar Series that begins on August 1st. The first of a four-webinar series, From Theory to Troubleshooting—Fiber 101, will cover the basics of a fiber optic network, both point-to-point and FTTx. The theory of light transmission and network performance including loss, reflection and dispersion will be discussed. Basic terminology and units of measurement will be defined. Fundamentals of fiber cable design for utilities as well as commissioning, maintenance and troubleshooting concepts will be introduced.
To provide the kind of faultless multi-gigabyte service promised by 5G, the fibre used in networks must be properly installed and maintained correctly. Therefore, it is important to address the need for the effective training of technicians. The deployment of 5G networks will only be successful if a skilled workforce is created who understand the correct way in which to carry out all of the processes.
What kinds of use cases will ultimately become killer apps on the 5G network? Without question, 5G will improve existing services and support expanded capabilities for the future. With reliable always-on connectivity, low latency, and substantial increases in bandwidth, tomorrow’s 5G networks will fundamentally transform the way that businesses and consumers interact with technology. Arguably the most important feature of 5G will be seamless connectivity across multiple device types and settings. The internet of things (IoT), along with other technologies at the edge of the network, will leverage this capability to enhance traditional markets and create entirely new ones. In fact, in a 2018 Gartner survey, 66% of companies surveyed plan to deploy 5G-based IoT applications by 2020.
Given the future 5G requirements in terms of latency, data volumes, and reliability, fiber optics are undoubtedly the most future-proof and ideally scalable medium for data transfer. From a technological perspective, it is clear that fiber optics and the new 5G mobile networks offer the best foundations for high transmission rates, minimum latency periods, and thus the greatest possible speed.
Cloud services company Connected2Fiber says it has closed a $5.3 million funding round. The Connected World, Connected2Fiber’s core SaaS platform, is designed to provide trusted, location-based insight and applications to network sellers and buyers. The platform automates manual sales and marketing processes, from plan to price, as well as delivers trusted location insight. Connected2Fiber says its customer base currently manages more than 225 million locations within The Connected World globally
