At the heart of the topics of conversation at the annual meeting of the mobile industry in Barcelona (MWC), 5G is presented by the organizers of the event as a network capable of redefining “the way the world connects”.
In fact, “5G has disappointed just about everyone — service providers and consumers, and it has failed to enthuse businesses,” said Dario Talmesio, research director at specialist firm Omdia. , interviewed by AFP.
Thousands of American consumers responded to a survey conducted last year, claiming they were excited about the prospect of 5G. But when interviewed, they had only a vague idea of the benefits they would derive.
Most of them even listed services that were already available with the 4G network, according to the survey by Israeli software company ironSource.
Announced as the catalyst for the next “industrial revolution” since its launch in 2020, 5G promised to upset whole sections of the economy with new uses, such as predictive maintenance, which should make it possible to reduce breakdowns or augmented reality , supposed to allow the advent of “industry 4.0”.
How ? Thanks to its low data transmission delay, a speed multiplied by ten, but also tenfold security with private networks, allowing data to be kept within the company.
– Inconceivable criticism –
“The massive investments in networks, of nearly 600 billion euros in Europe over the last decade, are difficult to monetize”, warned Monday Christel Heydemann, boss of the French operator Orange, in Barcelona.
For much of the industry, however, criticism of 5G is inconceivable. Ericsson Vice Chairman Fredrik Jejdling on Monday dismissed the idea that low 5G adoption was one of the reasons for the massive layoffs, 8,500 jobs worldwide, announced last Friday.
“This is a platform for innovation. If you don’t, you don’t know what you’re missing out on,” he said, insisting there would be no compromise in 5G research and development.
Frederique Liaigre, who leads Verizon’s business operations in France and other European countries, shares the Ericsson executive’s enthusiasm, saying the potential of 5G has “no limits.”
While Verizon was one of the first to deploy 5G to its customers in the United States, Ms Liaigre admits that the commercial aspect is only just beginning with projects in sight like the provision of a private 5G network. at the port of Southampton in Great Britain to improve its security and the management of its supply chain.
“The transformative capabilities of this technology are truly amazing,” she said.
After a first launch of 5G antennas from 4G infrastructures (known as “non-stand alone”) in 2020, the second phase of 5G deployment by operators should allow the network to deliver their full measure once they will be on a 100% 5G network infrastructure (known as “stand alone”) during 2023.