5G, combined with the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and Edge Computing technologies, will help fuel Europe’s digital transformation over the next decade. This transition represents a unique opportunity to deploy and integrate powerful new systems at scale that can create economic, social and environmental value.
However, these benefits are not guaranteed. Indeed, governments must support the deployment of 5G by completing new procedures for the allocation of 5G frequency bands and by monitoring deployment and coverage commitments. Telecommunications companies, on the other hand, must invest heavily in new 5G networks and services networks and services to make the value of 5G sufficiently compelling for most businesses and consumers to adopt it.
What is 5G ?
5G is the 5th generation of mobile telephony. With the completion of the year 2020 the 5G network is marketed by most operators just like: Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange and SFR. The latter have activated the mobile network in many cities and offer a range of 5G packages.
The introduction of a new generation of mobile telephony is an important event in the field of telecommunications. A little history is necessary to understand the value of introducing a new network. The first generation was allowed to make calls in 1986, and the second to send SMS. 3G, which was introduced in 2004, allowed access to the mobile Internet. When 4G was introduced in 2012, it allowed mobile internet users to grow at a faster rate. What about 5G?
To begin with, 5G should make it possible to respond to the exponential increase in our data consumption. They are increasing by 40% per year, according to operators. The 4G network will be saturated within one to two years if the current trend continues. Indeed, by 2025, one in five users will consume 200 GB per month. This is the primary objective of 5G: to avoid network saturation in densely populated areas such as train stations, airports and stadiums by providing oxygen via new frequencies.
310 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band were auctioned to operators this fall (90 MHz for Orange, 80 MHz for SFR and 70 MHz each for Bouygues Telecom and Free). In addition, operators will be able to switch to 5G using the same frequencies they use for 4G, namely the 700, 800 and 900 MHz bands, as well as the 1.8, 2.1 and 2.6 GHz bands. Finally, the 26 GHz frequency band will be allocated to 5G in the coming years, but not until 2022 or 2023.
The difference between 4G and 5G
While 4G already provided high-speed Internet access, 5G is shattering all speed records. Due to the use of the new 5G band, the speed is up to ten times faster than 4G. (3.5 Ghz). In other words, 5G makes it possible to exchange or view files of any size, including very large files such as HD, UHD or 4K videos. 5G makes Internet browsing, streaming and cloud gaming ultra-fluid. In addition, the use of the 3.5 GHz band ensures complete coverage.
InFine, 5G is faster, more powerful and more intelligent than 4G. It builds user confidence while offering businesses endless reliability and innovation.
5G VS 4G: what are the differences between the two networks?
The rollout of 5G
In France, the following telecom operators “Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange, and SFR are deploying their own 5G network. The deployment of 5G is done gradually, starting with major cities where the risk of saturation of 4G networks is the most important. Before expanding to less densely populated areas.
According to figures from ARCEP (the French telecom regulator), based on data submitted by the various operators, there are 1,5242 5G sites commercially open for Free, 8,714 for Bouygues Telecom, 6,885 for SFR and 4,682 for Orange, as of September 30, 2022. Therefore, Free currently has the largest 5G network in France. All telecom operators had activated 5G in all major cities and towns by the same date.
However, not all operators have activated the 5G network in the same places. Especially since they are completely free to deploy 5G where and when they want. However, they must respect certain guidelines. Among the obligations imposed by the government and Arcep, a good 5G mobile coverage for all French people is a “major objective”. This means that operators will have to equip areas with lower population density as well as large cities.
Other targets include the deployment of 3,000 5G sites in 2022, 8,000 in 2024, and 10,500 in 2025 (including 25% in low-density areas). In five years, 5G will have covered two thirds of the population. A general rule that applies to all operators. It is hoped that a 100% 5G network will be available around 2030 horizons.
The benefits of 5G
To understand the value of 5G, there are three words to remember: throughput, latency and density.
- Throughput: 5G will offer significantly faster Internet connection speeds than 4G. Eventually, 5G will be to 4G what fiber is to DSL. 5G speeds will be up to ten times faster than 4G. It should allow reception speeds of up to 1 Gb/s (transmission speeds of up to 300 Mb/s). This is, of course, a theoretical speed. However, operators will be required to provide users with a minimum of 100 Mb/s in 5G from the start, rising to 240 Mb/s by 2022.
- Latency: one of the major benefits of 5G. Latency is the time it takes from when you enter a command to when it appears on the screen. It would go from 10 to 1 ms with 5G. Some 5G applications require this level of responsiveness. Indeed, for new uses to emerge, constant and almost immediate exchanges are necessary.
- Density: This is the last big promise of 5G. Ultra connectivity allows for more devices per square kilometer to be connected. 5G will be able to support at least one million devices per square kilometer, which is a tenfold increase in connection density. Indispensable when you consider that there will be 50 billion connected objects by 2025.
Nevertheless, 5G will have to wait for the 26 GHz band to be allocated to it before it can achieve this level of performance.
Why is the transition to 5G crucial?
1. Intelligent transportation
Autonomous vehicles are not yet widespread, but the lack of a robust 5G network is one reason they are not more common on the road. Because 5G is particularly effective at transmitting data between moving objects, it will be critical to the success of autonomous vehicle networks, which will need to transmit massive amounts of data between vehicles. Without the power of 5G networks, other connectivity needs such as remote diagnostics, operating system updates, predictive maintenance, in-vehicle payments and fleet management will be difficult to meet.
2. Smart agriculture
Large industrial farms can better integrate predictive analytics with 5G technology, which enables data aggregation. Analytics software creates models and forecasts to help farmers make decisions based on past and present data on conditions (e.g., soil moisture and pesticide use). Analytics will become more accurate as 5G enables denser, real-time data, maximizing farm production and efficiency.
3. Smart City
5G will significantly improve Smart City services related to public safety and security. Real-time analysis of video recordings from public places coupled with biometric software will allow for the rapid identification of dangerous situations and the automatic alerting of authorities in situations such as a car accident or a terrorist attack.
Unlike video surveillance systems in place today, 5G-enabled equipment will be able to be updated live and data management platforms will interconnect various services.
5G connected devices will also be able to be deployed anywhere with mobile network coverage eliminating the need for fixed wiring and will be extended to mobile form factors such as drones and robots.
5G could help create thousands of job opportunities
The current scale and pace of the telecom industry is being driven by “the rapid evolution of new technologies such as AI, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, advanced data analytics and Edge computing,” according to Deval Singh, business head – telecom, IT& ITeS, media and government, TeamLease Services, media and government. This has led to a shift in the industry’s skill requirements, with a demand for candidates with new-age skills.
By 2023, the advent of 5G will help create 22 million job opportunities worldwide (including 9.5 million in China) and will represent, according to a study conducted by IHS Markit on behalf of Qualcomm, a windfall of $ 3500 billion to all stakeholders (network operators, suppliers of technologies and components, manufacturers of terminals and infrastructure equipment, application developers and content).
The study estimates that the seven major countries involved in 5G development (United States, China, Japan, Germany, Korea, France and the United Kingdom) will collectively invest around $200 billion in the technology each year between 2020 and 2035 (R&D and capex investments)
These investments will initially focus on R&D and network deployment, before gradually moving to applications and services deployment. The U.S. and China are expected to spend $1.2 trillion and $1.1 trillion, respectively, on 5G (R&D and capex) between 2020 and 2035, or 28% and 24% of the global total.
Source your telecom talent from Pentabell
With the development of 5G, more and more companies will be forced to choose between outsourcing and hiring. That’s why it’s important to consider the pros and cons of using external service providers.
The advantages of outsourcing
By using external service providers, freelancers or even experienced SMEs, you avoid all the legal constraints linked to the recruitment of employees: employment contract, declaration of employment, salary slip… You also avoid the threshold effects that may occur following an increase in your workforce.
Moreover, hiring an employee involves a series of costs that go far beyond the simple salary. Computer equipment, tools and a company car, for example, are your responsibility. These costs will be fully covered by your provider if you use outside talent.
Another benefit of outsourcing is having immediate access to specific skills or technologies that would be difficult to obtain in-house. You can get the right resources for all your needs from a specialized provider without having to make a large investment in training.
Finally, sourcing from an experienced staffing firm means greater flexibility and responsiveness: you get exactly what you need, when you need it. That’s a critical asset for dealing with the labor market disruptions caused by 5G.
Sourcing external service providers: a must in the telecom sector
IT project manager, CIO, PMO, technical director ……: as an operational person in the telecom sector, you are constantly looking for specific resources and skills that must be delivered with precision.
You can be sure that by contacting an outsourcing specialist, you will benefit from the expertise of a professional who perfectly meets the needs you have defined. In addition, you will receive comprehensive project management assistance, allowing you to securely bring in the right resources at the right time.
With over 17 years of expertise in the field of Recruitment, Payroll, Consulting and Technical Assistance. Pentabell will help you find the best consultants and meet all your needs.
Our international headhunters will help you find the right skills in the shortest possible time. We have several job opportunities in the telecom field available on our website as well as we are currently recruiting specialized talent in 5G.
The development of 5G is expected to significantly boost the job market in many industries. Telecommunications companies, in particular, will have significant recruitment needs to meet very specific assignments. External talent sourcing is therefore the ideal solution to quickly identify the right skills for new 5G jobs.