5G and IoT will continue to be a strong focus of the mobile telecom space in 2017, with antennas expected to be central to ongoing development work.
Editor’s Note: With 2017 virtually upon us, RCR Wireless News has gathered predictions from across the mobile telecommunications space on what they expect to see in the new year.
“5G” and the “internet of things.” These have perhaps been the two most discussed technologies of the past year. The difference? IoT is here – at least in its early stages – and 5G for all intents and purposes is still in the development stage. That doesn’t mean the buzz will slow down in 2017 – in fact, we’ll likely hear even more about these technologies for several years, as IoT business cases continue to emerge and 5G moves closer to standardization.
In both cases, antennas will play a huge role in advancing the industry and in defining the standards. Radio frequency performance is critical to the success of both, however, it’s also the most common failure point in device certification testing, particularly for cellular devices. Designers in the industry have accepted that, have learned through previous experience and now treat antennas with the importance they deserve.
Let’s take a look at what 2017 holds for both the IoT and 5G, and the role that antennas will play as the markets mature.
5G: The “when” will persist while the industry prepares and collaborates
The waiting game for 5G will continue for now. 5G will still very much be in the development stages in 2017, while the industry waits for the actual standards to be set. We still won’t know exactly what frequencies and spectrum will be used in the different global regions by the operators, but that doesn’t mean that vendors are standing still. Some carriers have already begun trials at certain frequencies, such as 28 GHz and 33 GHz.
Companies will continue to research, develop and collaborate with industry partners to try to ensure that they are “ahead of the game.” Some even have designs in test and development so they can move quickly once it is known exactly in what direction the industry is heading. 2016 saw more marketing effort than actual real-life trials and that trend may continue over the coming months.
For example, KT has billed the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics as the first “5G games.” KT has unveiled specific site plans for the 2018 Winter Olympics, lifting the curtain on what users might expect from the experience. However, many early applications showcased are geared toward media consumption of the event, not necessarily the user experience for individual attendees.
As for a general rollout of 5G in mass markets (vs. the more controlled environment of an Olympic venue), antenna vendors are not yet sure exactly what to design for. The desire for increased speeds and bandwidth continues, so it’s certainly not a matter of if, but when.
The IoT in 2017: growth and cost effectiveness
The growth of the IoT market will continue, as the benefits of connected devices bring greater efficiencies and cost savings to businesses as well as make our lives as consumers easier. The increased volumes in device shipments mean costs will continue to drop and as a result more business plans will make financial sense. There is a great buzz around the industry now, and investors are scrambling to get into the latest and greatest IoT opportunities.
More antennas, smaller form factors, lower costs and greater performance
In 2017, more antennas will be needed to drive the demands of today’s IoT applications and the end-user expectations.
For cellular antennas, we continue to see the move from one antenna to two for higher-speed LTE cellular systems. Global navigation satellite system antennas will need to have wider bandwidth to receive Beidou, GLONASS and other upcoming satellite systems. Wi-Fi is also seeing more multiple-input/multiple-output antenna systems. Other ISM-band solutions, such as LoRa, LPWAN and Sigfox, are being considered and designed into certain applications. Bluetooth LE, near field communications and other technologies adopted from smartphones are being utilized as well, with continuing cost improvements.
All of this activity means more antennas, in smaller spaces, at lower costs with increased performance. Antenna manufacturers are looking at ways to improve materials, designs, innovation/research and development, time to develop and launch, and test in order to prepare the best possible products – at scale – for when the market demand is there. 5G is also now on the horizon and this will need to live and perform in harmony with all the other systems, while improving and enhancing the end-user’s experience.
Antenna manufacturers have an insider’s view of the market; we are involved in the design from concept all the way to certification and launch. We are a part of the trials as these market segments emerge and have a front-row seat to the great things that are happening in the industry. As standards and applications come about, antennas will be there to help the industry scale as quickly as demand dictates.
Dermot O’Shea, co-founder and joint CEO of Taoglas, is a seasoned IoT entrepreneur, with more than 15 years’ experience in the global electronics industry spread over roles in Europe, Asia and North America. He is recognized as an expert in the antenna and wireless business. O’Shea currently serves as Joint CEO of Taoglas Group and president of Taoglas USA – the leading machine-to-machine/IoT antenna solutions provider. O’Shea co-founded Taoglas with Ronan Quinlan in 2003, and together they have led the company to exponential profitable growth. O’Shea has also helped Taoglas earn recognition globally as the market leader for M2M and IoT antennas.
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