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Mobile operators expect Asia to lead the development and deployment of 5G technologies, according to research from InterDigital.
The global operator community sees Asia as the frontrunner for 5G development and deployment: 71% of respondents identified Asia as the leader, compared with 52% for North America and 45% for Europe. Operators in North America were more likely to believe their region would lead the charge, but telcos across Asia are already promoting aggressive timelines. For example, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has stated plans to align an initial 5G release with the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, while South Korea’s SK Telecom has targeted demonstrations of prototype 5G systems as early as 2018.
Not all operators expect those early dates, yet many remain optimistic about reaching similar milestones. About one in three operators surveyed anticipate launching commercial 5G services before 2021. The majority, however, expect to concentrate on development work and field trials through 2022, positioning themselves to move into commercial deployments once standards, spectrum and use cases mature.
The research identifies better broadband performance and the Internet of Things as the primary drivers for 5G adoption. Specifically, 76% of respondents cited enhanced broadband performance as a key motivation, while 74% pointed to IoT opportunities. More specialized applications—such as virtual and augmented reality—scored lower but still registered meaningful interest. These results reflect industry priorities: faster, more reliable mobile broadband and massive device connectivity are immediate, broadly understood needs, while more specific vertical use cases are still emerging and require further development.
When asked about the radio technologies likely to underpin 5G, operators generally expect evolution rather than a single entirely new radio. Most anticipate 5G will incorporate two or more radio interfaces, integrating existing technologies with new ones. Respondents also foresee the use of multiple frequency ranges, combining low-band and high-band spectrum, with a noticeable preference toward sub-5 GHz bands. Roughly 30% of respondents described sub-5 GHz frequencies as “critical” for 5G, reflecting the importance of coverage and propagation that lower bands provide alongside the capacity advantages of higher-frequency bands.
“5G will impact everything—every industry, every service provider, and every person on the planet,” says Gabriel Brown, a senior analyst at Heavy Reading and author of the report. He cautions, however, that bringing a new generation of wireless technology to the mainstream is a monumental task that requires coordinated R&D, access to spectrum, and a solid business case before large-scale commercial rollouts can occur.
Industry demonstrations continue to explore technical approaches that could shape 5G. For instance, in June Ericsson showcased several technologies designed to influence the future of 5G, including a concept called “Multipoint Connectivity with Distributed MIMO.” That system uses multiple transmission points and maintains several simultaneous data streams to improve speed and reliability. Lab tests reported peak throughput rates on the order of 10 Gbps with low latency, highlighting the performance potential that next-generation wireless systems aim to deliver.
Overall, the picture painted by the research is one of regional leadership concentrated in Asia, cautious optimism among operators worldwide about near-term commercial launches, and a strong industry focus on combining existing radio technologies, multiple frequency bands, and coordinated testing to realize the full promise of 5G for consumers and enterprises alike.