5G to Add to, Not Replace, Wireline Broadband, NTCA Report Says
Wireline broadband will be complemented -- not replaced -- by wireless technologies like 5G, NTCA said Monday with the release of a technical report. The report, done by telco consulting firm VantagePoint, said satellite broadband "will continue to suffer from…
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limitations that are difficult or impossible to overcome if one is attempting to keep pace with ... consumer demand." It said companies "are misusing '5G'" as a marketing term when describing small cell 4G technology aimed at filing gaps or relieving congestion. It said that in some situations, 5G plus fixed wireless offerings will provide service to locations too remote to receive wireline service in the foreseeable future. While 5G will provide better broadband than 4G, it said, it's not the optimal solution for meeting escalating broadband demands. NTCA said technical challenges to 5G include its need for "massive amounts of spectrum," that it's not an optimal option for continuous-bit-rate traffic like video and that fiber to the home is often cheaper and more reliable than a 5G network. With wireless networks heavily relying on wireline networks already, that need will intensify with 5G, the association said. NTCA said it filed the report with the FCC.