CONNECTIONS_60-e

Fiber optics on the rise compared to traditional microwave radio
050.7004 050.7005
Small cell antenna
challenge and, at the same time, a learning
process for everyone involved. Business planners
and technicians alike have been used to
distinguishing between optical fiber for fixed
network and for cellular phone network applications,
and planning such capacities and
costs separately.
In addition, computing and storage capacities
will have to be moved to the edge of the
networks as 5G service expansion progresses
(edge computing). In edge data centers,
providers will in future make available the
processing power and software applications
required in particular for mission critical
services (time-critical and data-sensitive services
and applications). This is the only way
to minimize transmission times for sensitive
data on the path between the data center
and subscribers.
050.7003
New approaches on the market
The paradigm shift brought about by 5G
is leading to new approaches to network
design, network planning and infrastructure
solutions. New types of service providers and
variants of business models will be required
to manage the shift and meet demand.
Large companies will, for example, create
private 5G networks for their company-specific
communication and process needs and
secure their own transmission bandwidths,
i.e. 5G frequencies, for this purpose. This is
already the case in some European countries
where first wireless 5G enterprise or campus
networks, as they are called, are already in
test operation. First complex interoperability
tests between the different system suppliers
and the relevant industrial end user and that
user’s specific IoT/5G applications are being
carried out. With 5G, a whole new world of
applications and individually designed solutions
can be realized in the enterprise sector.
Classic cellular phone network operators,
who are now gradually upgrading their infrastructure
and antenna sites with 5G technology,
must, among other things, connect
existing and many additional, new antenna
sites with fiber optic networks. Due to time
and capacity bottlenecks, these will no longer
solely be proprietary optical fiber networks in
the future. Increasingly, operators are using
the capacities of existing FO networks for
this purpose. They are relying on operators in
the fixed network, FTTH and CATV sectors
as well as on private data center connections
and even FO networks of railway companies
or local and regional utilities.
New market players will discover their 5G
opportunities, extend FO capacities and
then rent them out for example to cellular
phone network operators. They will become
«neutral hosts». The tower companies (owners
and operators of mobile communications
or radio relay masts) are already in business
with mobile communication suppliers. They
will also take on additional new tasks and
develop business models as the 5G rollout
progresses.
We would like to take a closer look at two
models here.
«Neutral host» model
One of the new concepts, which is already well
established particularly in the US and the UK,
is that of the neutral host. The host operates a
communication network with its own optical
core, edge and remote access infrastructures.
Mobile network operators rent optical
network capacity or even complete services
from these service providers on certain
routes. In this way, they save on investments
in infrastructure and system hardware as well
as on personnel and costs for operation and
maintenance. They thus gain time and budget
for the development and marketing of new
end-to-end applications, the provision of
new software packages and media content.
Mobile network operators want to focus in
particular on market development for new
5G applications, especially in the lucrative,
professional customer environment (5G
Wireless Enterprise) and on media and direct
interaction with their end users.
This concept ultimately challenges traditional
network construction and operation by
telecom carriers. Instead, a third party builds,
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