Canada
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August 13, 2019 – Despite 5G networks not being commercially available in Canada yet, Huawei has confirmed to reporters that it is researching 6G technology at its centre in Kanata Ontario, and is conducting related discussions with Canadian universities. Song Zhang, VP of research strategy and partnership in Canada, said “5G is very new, and looking at 6G is part of the so-called 5G evolution.” The company's Ottawa R&D lab intends to lead worldwide development of 6G. Bell has reportedly said that it is also in talks with “multiple partners” about exploring 6G technology, but did not specify whether Huawei was involved.
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Global 5G
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August 9, 2019 – FCC officials say 5G does not pose any new health risks and that no new radiofrequency limits are needed. After a 6-year review, Chairman Ajit Pai introduced a proposal to maintain the FCC's current RF limits, which he says are sufficient. Some U.S. cities have voted to block 5G deployments, while other communities have challenged small cell installations. The FCC verdict was supported by its cooperation with the FDA and other federal agencies. Its current limits apply to all RF-emitting objects, including computers and cell towers. Pai’s proposal would also establish uniform guidelines to determine compliance with existing FCC limits.
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August 14, 2019 – Verizon is challenging the City of Rochester's fees for 5G and fibre deployments. It filed suit in district court saying the fees were not permitted by federal law. In February, Rochester City Council limited the number of fibre nodes and new towers that companies could install. Verizon cited a 2018 FCC order seeking to reduce such requirements so that carriers could have lower-cost access to infrastructure. Verizon may win if the FCC order stands, but the Commission is also being sued by cities from Washington, Oregon, Arizona and California, who argue it is illegal. Verizon claims fees such as $1,500 per year violate the order, which stated fees of $270 per year would be "presumptively consistent" with the law.
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August 19, 2019 – Three UK has launched high-speed 5G services in parts of London, with a single home broadband plan now being available for $42 per month. “The ease and immediacy means home broadband using 5G is going to be key to the future of the connected home,” said CEO Dave Dyson. The British operator plans to roll out 5G across 25 cities by the end of 2019, giving 10 million customers 5G access at no extra cost, provided they have a compatible handset and are in a 5G-enabled area. Dyson added that 5G coverage will expand throughout 2020. Vodafone and EE have already launched 5G services in select UK cities.
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August 14, 2019 – The chair of the new UK industrial change strategy says that "IoT is meaningless without 5G.” Juergen Maier says manufacturing is now at a “key moment” where it could enable the UK to reclaim its place as a global leader, with 5G contributing £15.7B to the economy per year by 2025. A new report by Digital Catapult, on the other hand, says UK manufacturers do face obstacles – the largest being the lack of demonstrable return on investment from industrial 5G, cited by 71% of firms surveyed. Other obstacles include the cost of deploying and managing networks, cited by 56%. In response, Maier promised that 5G offers the potential to "move away" from wired connectivity in ways that could be a game changer for UK companies.
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August 8, 2019 – Russia's first 5G zone has launched in central Moscow on Tele2's commercial network, further to an agreement that Tele2 signed with Ericsson at the Mobile World Congress last June. Live coverage is now available between Red Square and Sadovoe Ring, enabling various demonstrations including smart buildings and immersive VR. The pilot uses 28 GHz in non-Standalone (NSA) mode. Throughout Russia, over 50,000 base stations will be deployed during a five-year network modernization plan. According to the Digital Economy of Russian Federation program, establishing "robust 5G communication" in all main cities by 2024 is a primary objective for the country.
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August 13, 2019 – China's operators may not necessarily have the same enthusiasm or resources as its national government in the race to deploy 5G. Some analysts are now asking how Chinese operators can sustain a national buildout with their industry mired in low growth. China Mobile says it still plans to invest $2.4B in 5G this year, although its stocks have fallen 10% this month and 15% over the year. China Telecom still plans to invest $1.3B, while China Unicom has committed $1.1B. A critical challenge for operators is the sheer scale of investment, which could reach $411B between 2020-2030. By comparison, total capex for the Chinese industry was $40.8B in 2018, with 5G only making up a small part of that amount.
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