The Week in 5G: 7/28/2020 — EU Updates 5G Policy "Toolbox"; U.K. To Invest In "Smart Roads"
By Ed Biller
Hewlett Packard Enterprise unveiled last week in Fort Collins, CO, the HPE 5G Lab, a “test and development environment where telcos and partners can validate and integrate 5G network solutions,” according to an HPE press release. HPE’s partners in the endeavor include Affirmed Networks, Casa Systems, Intel, JMA Wireless, Metaswitch, Nokia, Openet and Red Hat.
Also in the United States, 5Gradar reports Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in California is the first US military base to activate and trial Verizon’s Ultra Wideband Service for defense-based use cases, including communications and base security.
The report states Verizon’s service will act as a “living lab” the military hopes to leverage toward creating a blueprint for future “smart bases.” Per 5Gradar, “there are currently 15,000 service members stationed at MCAS Miramar, as well as the 3rd Marine Air Wing and the 5th Generation F35-C.”
In civilian rollout news, AT&T is the second carrier after T-Mobile to announce it has reached a “nationwide” U.S. rollout, reaching 205 million customers in 395 markets, reports CNN. The report notes, however, that a “nationwide” rollout is defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as one covering 200 million or more people, rather than being defined by actual coverage area.
In the European Union, the European Commission has updated its ‘toolbox’ of policies and actions believed to reduce 5G security threats “and ensure a consistent approach across the continent,” reports TechRadar. The most poignant updates would reduce the involvement of ‘high risk’ suppliers and encourage multi-vendor approaches.
In the United Kingdom, 5G.co.UK reports £3 million have been set aside by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to install “roughly 280 5G road network sensors across the Key Route Network (KRN), which includes roads such as the A34, A38 and A45.”
The “smart road” sensor project, which still is seeking bidders, aims to use 5G’s increased capabilities “to deliver accurate data on transport habits across the West Midlands,” which the report interprets “could mean improving traffic flow, tweaking road layouts, and being aware of problems as soon as they emerge.”
In tech news, Nokia and U.S. Cellular will team to add 5G mmWave capabilities in the 24 GHz and 28 GHz spectrum bands. Per a Nokia press release, “U.S. Cellular will deploy Nokia’s award-winning AirScale portfolio, with Cloud RAN capabilities, to provide enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) 5G mmWave.”
Ericsson and Deutsche Telekom AG, meanwhile, have inked a new multi-year deal” to deploy the service provider’s 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) across Germany,” states an Ericsson press release. The release notes this deal also will deploy Ericsson’s Spectrum Sharing solution, “allowing Deutsche Telekom to dynamically manage 4G and 5G traffic in its network through efficient use of existing spectrum.”