Warren VandeStadt

Wireless technologies like 5G may offer much promise, but they will rely even more deeply upon and serve as a complement to robust wireline broadband technologies rather than a replacement for them, according to a technical report by telecommunications engineering and consulting firm Vantage Point Solutions and filed with the Federal Communications Commission by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association. The study, “Evaluating 5G Wireless Technology as a Complement or Substitute for Wireline Broadband,” reviews wireless technologies’ capability to meet current and future demands of America’s broadband customers. Vantage Point found that although there is much anticipation about possible speeds for 5G wireless networks, a 5G network relies on an extensive and robust wireline network and even then is a poor substitute for a wireline connection in terms of performance, reliability, and investment.

The report also contains a checklist of questions that should be asked in evaluating and validating the capabilities of any potential wireless deployment. Among the report’s key findings are:
Spectrum: 5G networks will require massive amounts of spectrum to accomplish their target speeds. At the very high frequencies proposed for 5G, the RF signal does not propagate far enough to be practical for any wide area coverage, which is particularly important for rural areas.
Access Network Sharing: 5G wireless technologies are not a good solution for the sorts of data-heavy uses and applications that are driving much broadband demand.
Economics: When compared to the costs associated with deploying a 5G network, especially in rural areas, fiber-to-the-home is often less expensive (particularly given how much fiber will be needed in any event for 5G) and will have lower operational costs.
Reliability: Wireless technologies are inherently less reliable than wireline, with significantly increased potential for environmental and line-of-sight impairments with the high frequencies used by 5G.