KDDI, NTT Docomo, SoftBank, and Rakuten Mobile have recently signed a MoU to study the use of 5G mmWave infrastructure and technical architectures for coverage expansion
In sum – what to know
Sharing remains uncertain – Japan’s four major operators are studying cooperation, but the initiative does not currently include a concrete network-sharing plan.
Costs could fall – Omdia says shared infrastructure could reduce costs, simplify site acquisition, and help address the dense deployment required by mmWave.
Study holds the key – The impact on Japan’s mmWave rollout will depend on the study’s conclusions and which recommendations are ultimately implemented.
Japan’s four major mobile operators are studying whether greater cooperation around 5G millimeter-wave infrastructure could help address some of the challenges associated with expanding coverage.
KDDI, NTT Docomo, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to study the use of 5G mmWave infrastructure and technical architectures for coverage expansion.
The four operators said mmWave can deliver ultra-high-speed, high-capacity data transmission, but its propagation characteristics make signals susceptible to attenuation and physical obstructions. Expanding coverage therefore requires a large number of base stations and related equipment.
Remy Pascal, an analyst at Omdia, told RCR Wireless News that those characteristics make the economics of mmWave challenging for individual operators. “Because mmWave requires a dense network grid to overcome short range and blockage, the economics are challenging for a single operator,” he said.
Infrastructure sharing could potentially address part of that challenge by distributing costs among multiple operators. Pascal also pointed to potential benefits beyond the direct sharing of network equipment. “Network sharing would enable to share the burden and spread costs across multiple parties, strengthening the investment case,” he said.
The analyst added that physical infrastructure sharing could help streamline permitting and installation, noting that municipalities and venue owners may prefer approving a single location and equipment installation rather than multiple parallel deployments.
For Pascal, cooperation does not necessarily have to begin with active network sharing to have an impact. “For instance, further physical site sharing arrangements, even without active network equipment sharing, could be beneficial by reducing costs and facilitating site acquisition,” he said.
The distinction could be relevant as the four Japanese carriers assess how to make greater use of their existing mmWave infrastructure. The operators said the joint study will examine the technical feasibility of expanding the usage coverage of 5G mmWave base stations among mobile network operators and evaluate efficient operational frameworks.
The study will focus on technologies and approaches involving 5G mmWave base stations, repeaters, and other related assets. The companies said they will study how deployed facilities can be used more effectively while each operator continues its own mmWave deployment.
Pascal identified limited coverage, poor in-building penetration and a limited device ecosystem as established mmWave challenges. He also pointed to permitting, total cost of ownership, and backhaul access as other barriers to adoption globally. “Therefore, any agreements, policies, or initiatives that contribute to address these challenges should be seen positively,” Pascal said.
Omdia research also suggests that operators in markets where mmWave spectrum has already been allocated have an interest in sharing. Pascal said a survey conducted earlier this year found that a majority of operators in those countries were interested in network sharing for mmWave.
