5G Introduction
5G is probably not what you think it is
5G is being communicated as a fix for all mobile data access and some are even suggesting it could solve residential internet.
Key Takeaway? 5G Midband is currently critical in rural areas - it is the best balance of speed and foliage/building penetration.
First off 5G is really 4 different sets of frequencies (channels). MMWave, MidBand 1, Midband 2 and Lowband.
Note: some of the frequencies inside the 5G spec overlap with military and FAA frequencies which is why some rollout has been delayed
5G Towers
Why are there so many 5G towers? It is because of the different frequencies and the various ranges they provide.
5G requires a lot of towers depending on the frequency with higher frequency requiring more towers and higher speeds and poor building/tree penetration. Lower frequency longer distances between towers but also slower speeds.
Towers are really expensive because of the tower cost plus the fiber to support the tower traffic. Fiber to the nearest connection point can cost $50k to $100k per mile. All modern internet and cellular communications run across fiber at some point now.
Advertising and Capacity
A business can advertise that they have 5G in an area. The devil is in the details.
Just having some 5G in a frequency set doesn’t guarantee high speeds. High speeds means that you must own one of the four frequency categories and a large amount of it (increasing capacity), and a very good unthrottled backhaul (fiber).
KEY POINT: Not all providers own enough frequency bandwidth in the right speed range. They might own Mmwave when they really need Mid Band 1 or Mid Band 2. Or they might own some mid band 2 but only a small slice of it (fewer lanes on a road)
What 5G Will and WONT Do
Odds are 5G will improve access as so many people use internet on their smartphone as their primary internet.
It will LIKELY meet mobile low latency data needs (vehicle automation).
It will LIKELY NOT meet heavy dedicated loads fixed loads in rural areas, it might meet moderate loads in rural and urban environments. There is some new stuff from Ericson Mobile that improves MidBand I/II throughput (capacity).
5G Visuals
What is 5G CBRS?
CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) or 3.5ghz to 3.7ghz or the bottom of MidBand II. It can be 4G/5G. It is similar to the 2.4ghz shared frequency.
Tech info: It is 150mhz of spectrum on “band 48" running from 3.55ghz to 3.7ghz (3550 Mhz to 3700 Mhz).
Parts of CBRS are public and parts are reserved for Navy and/or Satellite. So a CBRS signal might have to avoid or work around other signals. Similar to 2.4ghz wireless in your home where some devices might interfere with others.
There are 3 types of CBRS Access (notes paraphrased from FCC)
Incumbent Access. Existing users such as U.S. Navy. Existing users have priority access to the entire 150 MHz band. But remember, the existing users don't always use the entire band at every location.
Priority Access users. 10-year renewable Purchased Priority Access License grants users access to a 10 MHz channel within a specified geographical location. Users include Internet Service Providers or businesses that purchase licenses during auctions.
General Authorized Access. General Authorized Access (GAA) licensees who can obtain licenses at no charge. They receive dynamic spectrum access to 100 MHz of bandwidth. Frequency is allocated for use within a geographical area to avoid interference with higher-tier users.
CBRS technology can be used for “private” cellular networks. Because it is mid-band it will reach for about 5 miles (sometimes farther with line of sight). It may end up providing creative alternatives for rural broadband and