FEATURE : 5G
This massively expensive rollout leaves operators in a conundrum . Telcos must invest significant amounts in their 5G networks so they can keep up with competition and consumer expectations , but they do not yet have the use cases that will entice the enterprises ( or private consumers ) to engage and buy the new technology .
As an example , focusing just on the NaaS concept which has great potential for offices and large campuses , Wi-Fi technology already does the job and is a mature technology . For non-rural homeworkers , the availability of broadband including DSL , fibre-to-thecabinet , and cable offers almost universal , relatively low-cost Internet accessibility . This means that an NaaS offering needs to hit a compelling price point while delivering substantive benefits for enterprise customers to make it an attractive alternative .
This is not the first time we see this kind of chicken vs . egg question being raised in the technology world where we can see the potential disruption offered by a new technology but can ’ t yet see how the journey will evolve . create an instant corporate network connection is particularly appealing .
But here lies the quandary of waiting for imminent technology that may prove better than the current options or adopting mature technology with a known set of costs and benefits – but potentially inferior in the long run . Unfortunately , there is still no timeline on when the first NaaS products will start to emerge , but it is worthwhile , especially for larger organisations to at least have the discussion with an operator to sound out the possibilities ahead of any major projects planned for this year .
What is clear is that 5G will have a major impact on society in a whole range of
José Duarte , Chief Executive Officer , Infovista
Behind the scenes , several telecoms operators are running small-scale trials to help them build out the technology layers for offering , such as NaaS – such as service provisioning along with managing moves , adds and changes . Yet these tests are also to work out if the economics make sense for such an enterprise product . The cost of building out 5G is huge – MTN Consulting , an analyst firm , says that operators spent CAPEX of US $ 480 billion in 2019 with much of it focused on the 5G rollout . Along with the fierce competition in every market , much of the focus is still on the ‘ quick win ’ of getting consumers to switch network in search of 5G speeds – while more innovative yet largely unproven enterprise products are yet to emerge . use cases around Smart Cities , manufacturing automation and the Internet of Things ( IoT ). However , as of 2021 with build-out still underway , we are still a way off seeing real products emerging – although the latter half of the year will probably see some major announcements from several major pan European telecoms providers . As these concrete announcements start to arrive , it will become clearer how 5G will bring a catalyst of innovation that will cut across our personal and professional lives . p
Stick or twist
What does this all mean for a CIO ? So , there are a few paths that look promising . Where a campus Wi-Fi network is struggling using the older 802.11 a / b technology , NaaS may offer major CAPEX benefits and more flexibility than investing in an upgrade to 802.11ac ( Wi-Fi 5 ) or 802.11ax ( Wi-Fi 6 ). For a who that has a large cohort of homeworkers that are struggling with connectivity – an especially bad situation for shared households – the simplicity of an NaaS offering where the operator sends of a pre-configured USB-based / 5G access point to
IT WILL BECOME CLEARER HOW 5G WILL BRING A
CATALYST OF INNOVATION
THAT WILL CUT ACROSS OUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES .
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