5.5G to the rescue

We’ve made it to the midpoint between 5G and 6G. Does this matter to the average person?

The average person is not likely to see any big changes, but they may start seeing their network performance improve. This is because 5.5G gives operators more options for expanding their networks and providing better service to customers—especially in countries where those networks are becoming saturated. 

Saturated? You mean some 5G networks are maxed out?

Yes. I recently met with one mobile operator whose 5G FWA service is so successful it has to expand its network to keep pace with business growth. 

For such operators, 5.5G (or 5G-Advanced, as it’s also called), is coming in the nick of time. 5.5G provides a new pipe with 10 times the capacity of regular 5G. That gives operators plenty of room for additional growth. 

5G FWA? What is that?

5G FWA is a service that uses the 5G/5.5G wireless signal to deliver broadband services to a home. Customers get a receiver that picks up the 5G signal, and then turns it into Wi-Fi. This service is popular with both operators and consumers because it’s capable of delivering “fiber-like” broadband speeds without the cost or delay associated with deploying a new fiber connection. 

5.5G delivers speeds of 10 Gigabits per second. Who needs that kind of speed?

First, remember that we’re talking about peak speeds. For 5G, with a peak speed of 1Gbps, users will see an average speed of about 100 Mbps. With 5.5G, the peak speed of 10Gbps means users could see average speeds of 1Gbps. 

Honestly, there is no single service that requires that much bandwidth today. But most homes have a growing number of connected devices. This could include computers, TV set-top boxes, AI-powered smart speakers, connected doorbells, and security cameras.  When you add all that up, you can see how the bandwidth required for a single home can easily reach 1Gbps today.

Looking ahead, AR/VR and new “glasses-free 3D” displays will drive further traffic growth. Apple’s new Vision Pro has dual 4K lenses, requiring speeds of 300 to 500 Mbps all by itself. 

Let’s unpack some 5.5G terminology, starting with “5.5G” itself. That’s Huawei’s term, correct?

Yes. 3GPP, the standards-setting body that publishes the 5G specifications, uses the term “5G-Advanced.” If you hear that term, it refers only to the mobile network.

Huawei uses the term 5.5G to indicate that we’re talking about both mobile and fixed networks. It encompasses optical fiber, leased lines, IP networks, and even Wi-Fi. 

What about deterministic networks—what are they?  

Deterministic means predictable. If your local operator offers a service with data rates of 500 Mbps, a deterministic network would guarantee that each customer really gets 500 Mbps speeds. They guarantee the rate will never drop below that level.

Most networks only offer a “best effort.” That’s an industry term that means the operator will make its best effort to give you the fastest possible speed. In a best-effort network, the advertised speed is the maximum possible speed. But the network is shared by lots of users, so customers probably will never actually get the top speed unless they’re using the network when everyone else is asleep.

A “best effort” network is fine for someone who’s surfing the web. It’s not so good for someone who uses live-streaming video to sell products online. Their business depends on a good network signal. They’re probably willing to pay more to guarantee that their network uplink speed never drops below 50 Mbps.

Another term you hear a lot is native intelligence.

Native intelligence is the latest technology buzzword. It refers to a world where AI capabilities are built into every device. For example, the latest laptops and smartphones all include AI capabilities, and are usually powered by an AI chip. 

Native intelligence is also happening inside the network core, which is responsible for encrypting communications and authenticating user identity. Huawei’s Telcom Foundation model is being used to add AI agents and co-pilots that help automate many of the tasks done by network engineers today. As a result, some problems can be solved in minutes instead of hours. 

How about RedCap?

RedCap is a standard developed for the Internet of Things (IoT). It stands for Reduced Capability and is designed for devices that don’t need all the full capabilities of 5.5G. 

Who wants that? 

5G supports download speeds of 1-2 Gbps; 5.5G, up to 10 Gbps. But a connected camera might only generate 100 Mbps of data. It doesn’t need the full capacity of 5G.

RedCap supports data rates of 100–200 Mbps. Slower speeds reduce power consumption and lower the cost of that smart camera without degrading its picture quality.

Speaking of the Internet of Things, what is passive IoT?

Passive IoT is a new technology with the potential to revolutionize asset tracking, warehouse operations, and many other businesses. 

It’s a bit like RFID, in that it places a simple tag on each piece of inventory to be tracked. The tag requires no power source; it gets all the power it needs from a radio mounted on the ceiling.

But to take inventory with RFID, someone has to walk down each aisle of the warehouse with a hand-held scanner and scan each box on each shelf. With a passive IoT-based system, the ceiling-mounted radios pull the ID from each box automatically. 

Is passive IoT in use now?

We are doing trials with operators around the world, but the technical standard is not yet finalized. It will be codified in the 3GPP Release-19 standards, scheduled to come out next year. Commercial launches will follow shortly after. 

Earlier, you mentioned AR/VR. We seem to be on the cusp of some amazing changes in that area.

I believe that’s true. Mobile services is a device-driven business. When we went from feature phones to smartphones, there was a massive surge in network demand as the industry switched from being voice-driven to data-driven. 

Once someone releases an AR/VR product that drives mass adoption, we’re going to see another shift. The network today prioritizes download traffic. In general, people will download 10x more data than they upload.

But AR could change that. AR devices have a pair of cameras that continuously upload two video streams. That means mass AR/VR adoption will not only increase traffic dramatically but will likely also require operators to support much more upload traffic than they do today.

When I look at the capabilities of Apple’s Vision Pro, I finally see a device with really good image quality. The main issue is the $3,500 price tag. As other companies start making devices with similar image quality and drive down the cost to something the average person can afford, then we are likely to see mass adoption. 

I’m eagerly awaiting the next generation of AR devices. I want to upgrade my laptop display to 46 inches, which obviously would be really hard to carry around. But with a good set of AR glasses connected to my laptop, I could view a nice 46-inch display all the time. That would unchain me from my desk, allowing me to work anywhere, without compromising performance standards. 

Everybody will want one of these affordable (but still nonexistent) AR/VR devices?

Within a few years, yes. You’ll see broad adoption once you hit that price/quality sweet spot. We don't know when that will happen, but when it does, it’ll be a game-changer.

What are the implications for telecom operators?

They’re huge. The amount of bandwidth consumed by those devices is substantial, and the uplink requirements are high.

Also, operators will soon be in the business of providing not just a connection, but a connection plus services. They’ll offer customers a network connection along with video, music, VR, home security, or other smart-home services. That will significantly expand the set of offerings operators can sell.