The end of 2024 is a perfect time to look back at the most important events in the telecommunications industry.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a clear acceleration in 6G research, the increasing adoption of private 5G networks in industry, and growing interest in “green telecommunications” and network security. Let’s take a brief look at the key areas, based on official sources and real-world implementations.

Development of 5G and the Beginnings of 6G Deployment

5G networks have already shown their potential, enabling high-speed data transmission and low latency, as confirmed by GSMA reports and equipment manufacturers such as Nokia and Ericsson. Meanwhile, the race for 6G is already underway. In Finland, as part of the 6G Flagship project (carried out in collaboration with Nokia, among others), researchers are intensively exploring the possibilities of sixth-generation networks, with updates provided on Nokia’s official website and the 6G Flagship pages. Will 2025 be a year of dual challenges for operators’ infrastructure? Time will tell.

Private 5G and Industry 4.0

The industrial sector is increasingly opting for private 5G networks (Private 5G). A notable example from this year is the BMW factory, where high speeds and stable connectivity allow assembly robots to operate in perfect sync—information on this can be found on the automaker’s official site. For operators, this means an opportunity to develop by selling slices of spectrum and offering dedicated services exclusively for factories or corporate campuses. According to market analyses published in fall 2024, more and more companies are keen to partner with operators in such ventures, as it provides them with full control over their network ecosystem and a high level of data security.

Satellite Infrastructure and Internet Access

In 2024, it became evident that satellite networks perform exceptionally well in regions with weak terrestrial coverage. A prime example is Starlink by SpaceX, whose low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites deliver high-speed Internet to many corners of the globe. The official Starlink website offers up-to-date details on the constellation’s expansion and service coverage. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the operator Spark has already tested integrating satellite services with its own infrastructure to ensure a backup connection in case its own systems fail.

Credits: U.S. Space Force photo by Joshua Conti, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Implementing Cloud Solutions in Telecommunications

An increasing number of operators are moving their services to the cloud, especially those related to network traffic management or VoIP. A strong example is the collaboration between Telefónica and Google Cloud, aimed at providing advanced cloud tools to businesses in Latin America. A successful outcome here could certainly spark further partnerships, enabling operators to scale solutions more quickly and implement new customer features with ease. It’s definitely worth watching how this field evolves.

Security Issues

DDoS attacks and other cyber threats remain a serious challenge for operators. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in the UK regularly warns about the increasing scale and complexity of these attacks, and GSMA, in its reports, highlights the importance of network slicing and artificial intelligence for faster anomaly detection. For telecom companies, it all boils down to further investments in new security systems to protect both themselves and their customers.

Where the Real and Virtual Worlds Meet

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are beginning to make their way into operators’ offerings. NTT Docomo in Japan is involved in XR (extended reality) projects, which enable remote VR sports broadcasts and professional distance training, among other possibilities. Its English-language site provides insights into various initiatives that could soon gain traction in other countries. Next year will show whether we’re seeing the start of a major trend or just a minor addition to operators’ portfolios.

Sustainable Development

“Green telecommunications” is no longer just a marketing catchphrase—it’s a real response to the growing demand for clean energy. Operators are looking for alternative power sources for base stations. In northern Sweden, Ericsson successfully tested powering a base station with hydrogen fuel cells. News of the project spread in the summer of 2024, and implementing such a solution could serve as an excellent example of eco-friendly infrastructure for mobile networks in remote locations or extreme weather conditions.

Emergency Communications and Network Resilience

Reliable telecommunications infrastructure is not just about convenience; it’s a matter of safety. In crisis situations, this becomes paramount. Finding solutions to ensure secure and stable communication during emergencies is becoming a strategically important issue in more and more countries. In Canada, as reported by CBC, operators work closely with authorities by investing in warning systems and providing connectivity even in challenging weather conditions. These efforts are also reflected in information published by the Government of Canada, underscoring the importance of telecommunications in emergency situations. We’re likely to see even more international involvement in this area next year.

Over the course of 2024, the telecommunications industry has proven that it can respond dynamically to new challenges and carry out innovative projects. Operators are increasingly willing to collaborate with various partners—ranging from cloud providers to equipment manufacturers—in order to meet customer needs while keeping up with technological advancements.
On behalf of the entire RFBENCHMARK Editorial Team, we wish everyone that the upcoming year 2025 will bring even more groundbreaking ideas and further improvements in connectivity quality, so that each of us can enjoy true freedom of communication regardless of location or time.


RFBENCHMARK Editorial Team

Among the new releases, we can find the lower-end iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini alongside the higher-end iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max. All models are equipped with iOS 14 and the newest 5-nm A14 Bionic Apple processor, offer 5G support (including mmWave spectrum in the US), as well as IP68 water resistance. The new models come with a refreshed flat-edge design and feature a new hardened front cover called Ceramic Shield. 

The only difference between the two lower-end models is their screen size. iPhone 12 comes with a 5.4-inch display and retails for USD 699, whereas the 12 Mini has a 6.1-inch screen and is priced at USD 799. There are five different colour versions to choose from, as well as three internal storage options – 64, 128 and 256 GB. Both models also come with a new dual-camera system featuring a 12-megapixel wide angle rear camera and another 12-megapixel front-facing camera. 

Return of the MagSafe system 

All four releases will see the return of the MagSafe wireless charging system. MagSafe will add magnets around the charging coil, allowing it to line up perfectly with a charger or a phone case.  

Apple’s product offer includes an own-brand charger, a MagSafe Duo Charger than can be used simultaneously with the iPhone and Apple Watch, a leather wallet, and a range of snap-on cases in three different finishes. However, that’s not all, as third-party producers are expected to bring out more accessories.

The tech giant also made a controversial decision not to include a power charger or a set of EarPods with the newest phones in an effort to reduce its carbon emissions. 

Better camera specs and more internal storage in Pro models

When it comes to the higher-end models, the iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max feature 6.1.- and 6.7-inch displays, respectively. The starting prices for the 128 GB model are USD 999 and USD 1,099, with Apple also offering phones in 256 and 512 GB capacities.  There are four colour versions available – graphite, silver, gold, or pacific blue. 

Photography enthusiasts are also in for a real treat. The innovative seven-element wide-angle camera on an iPhone 12 Pro boasts an impressive f/1.6 aperture. It’s the fastest aperture on an iPhone to date, which translates to an 87% photo improvement in low-light conditions. The camera also features a 120-degree ultra-wide angle sensor, as well as a 52mm telephoto camera with up to 4x optical zoom. The Pro Max model comes with an even larger 1.7μm-pixel sensor, the ultra-wide lens, as well as a 65mm telephoto camera with up to 5x optical zoom. Apple also announced an update to Night mode, which will be made available on the wide-angle and depth sensors, and offer a time-lapse option. 

With a new feature coming to iPhones later this year, you will also be able to use your new iPhone Pro like a pro-level camera. Apple ProRAW will allow users to edit their photos in RAW format, which will be an absolute godsend to photographers. The Pro range also comes with a brand new Lidar scanner that can measure light distance and use information about pixel depth of a given scene. As a result, the AR experience on the iPhone is about to be improved. It will also become much easier to create the coveted bokeh effect in low-light conditions. 

Source: Telecompaper

In its forecast report, Canalys also speculates that this year’s global smartphone shipments will decrease by 10.7% in comparison to the year before. This number is expected to bounce back in 2021 with projected annual growth of 9.9%, at which point over 1.3 billion units will be shipped out worldwide. The firm attributes massive shipments of 5G devices in 2020 mainly to their ongoing commercialization in mainland China.

The average selling price of 5G devices in Europe is projected to be on the decline over the next several years as Samsung and Apple continue to outperform their competition. It is expected to drop to $765 next year, and then to gradually decrease to the level of $477 by 2024.

It is noteworthy that while at the beginning of this year, there weren’t any 5G-enabled devices priced below $300 on offer, there are now various smartphones available on the market that cost under $250. The cheapest one to date is Realme’s latest release – the Realme V3 5G that currently retails for under $150 in China and is the first 5G device to enter the rapidly progressing low-end smartphone market.

Source: Canalys

Jun also spoke up about the challenges facing the tech giant as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. According to his predictions, the industry will be transformed with the introduction and popularization of 5G, whose prime benefits include auto-pilot, cloud gaming, and 4K / 8K video conferencing.

The company has been launching 5G-capable devices to adapt to the trend, but its supply chain has been severely impacted by the ongoing pandemic. Xiaomi had to provide its factories with subsidies in the amount of 250 million yuan for the manufacturing of 5G smartphones, as its warehouses stood empty.

The decision to stop producing 4G devices in Xiaomi’s home market of China by the end of 2020 will also allow the tech giant to allocate more resources to 5G handsets instead.

Last year, the company announced that it will focus its efforts on mobile technology and Artificial Intelligence of Things. It will also cooperate with the Chinese government to establish disaster warning systems, as well as other 5G-reliant public service systems. Finally, the Chinese tech company has already started research on 6G and satellite internet technology.

Source:

From Monday, the residents of Warsaw, Gdańsk, Katowice, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin and Wrocław will be able to start using the 5G network, with 100 5G transmitters expected to be launched in these urban centres. It is estimated that the 5G network coverage will reach 900 thousand people. This will be the first commercial, not test, case of implementing the 5G standard in Poland.

In the headquarters of Polkomtel, the owner of Plus, there’s already talk of the next step in the investment. The second stage of the implementation of 5G in Poland involves coverage of the entire city of Warsaw and its neighboring cities. This is to be possible thanks to launching another 600 base stations supporting the 5G standard.

In a press release, the company announced that its offer already includes 5G smartphones and routers that support the new technology using the 2.6 GHz frequency band. Further models will be gradually introduced to the market in May and June.

The next phase of the investment, expected to be completed in early 2021, will result in 5G coverage reaching over 3 million people in Poland, although Plus has ambitions to soon reach the entire country.

– 10 years ago, we were the first to introduce LTE to Polish homes. Today, as the technology leader in the Polish media and telecommunications market, we are introducing the first commercial 5G network in Poland, which will be available to Plus customers – said Mirosław Błaszczyk, the President of the Management Board of Cyfrowy Polsat and Polkomtel.

The operator informed users that they can expect transmission speed of up to 600 Mb/s.

Source: Business Insider

Although currently only Vodacom customers in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town will be able to use these services, the company formulated a plan to launch its 5G network nationwide by the end of the year.

South African telecommunications regulatory body, ICASA, has recently granted the company temporary access to spectrum, with Vodacom utilising one 50 MHz block in the 3.5 GHz band to accelerate the 5G launch.

With this decision, Vodacom became the first mobile operator in South Africa to offer 5G services to ease the network congestion resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown. Back in December, the company signed a managed services and roaming agreement with a pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom in order to build a national 5G network.

Vodacom believes the 5G launch came at an important time, as the company has recently seen a 40% increase in mobile data usage, as well as a 250% rise in mobile network traffic as a direct result of the imposed lockdown. Shameel Joosub, the CEO of Vodacom Group, stated that it would help the company improve its network efficiency. He also expressed Vodacom’s pride in providing South Africa with world class network technology that is key in keeping the entire country connected during this difficult and uncertain period.

source: commsmea.com

A few days ago, the Polish Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications denied rumors of the link between the 5G technology and the spread of the contagious disease, COVID-19. At the same time, the institution announced that with the help of the 5G technology, the world could deal with the epidemic threat much faster, for example by implementing solutions based on artificial intelligence, which would relieve healthcare workers.

Groups of people with a negative attitude towards the development of the 5G technology maintain that radio waves have a bad impact on health and immunity, and can be used as a surveillance tool. However, there is no evidence that devastation of telecommunications towers is directly linked to these concerns as the perpetrators have not yet been caught.

This conspiracy theory has spread rapidly in social media. Keri Hilson, an American singer with 4.2 million Twitter followers, sent several tweets last month trying to connect the coronavirus to 5G. In early April, actor Woody Harrelson followed suit by linking the 5G development to the virus.

Academic centres and institutions of public trust quickly denied the rumors and launched an information campaign.

Among the speakers was NHS Medical Director Michael Gove who said that he is “outraged and disgusted” by people who claim that 5G masts are the real cause of the coronavirus outbreak.

– This story about 5G has no credence scientifically and is certainly a potential distraction, as is other such misinformation, from controlling the COVID-19 epidemic – said dr Jonathan M. Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health.

In response to widespread misinformation, social media and streaming services such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter will remove any posts that could potentially be misleading for the community.

According to the Dutch ministry of economic affairs, the coronavirus outbreak was not going to cause an auction delay. Last month saw the opening of the application process for the auction of the 700, 1,400 and 2,100 MHz bands, with at least one confirmed operator already.

In Austria, an auction of the frequencies in the 800, 1,500 and 2,100 MHz bands was expected to take place in April, but it has been delayed due to the ongoing pandemic, with a new date yet to be announced. Spain is facing the same problem and has already confirmed that it cannot meet the June deadline for its 700 MHz tender.

Although an auction for the 700 MHz band has already been held in France, the tender for the 3.5 GHz band which was expected to take place in the first half of 2020 has been postponed until further notice. Poland, however, still intends to go ahead with its 3.4-3.8 GHz auction planned for next month.

Possibly the largest 5G tender scheduled for this year was to be held in Portugal, with allocated frequencies in the 700 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2.1 GHz, 2.6 GHz and 3.6 GHz bands. However, it has recently been announced that due to the coronavirus crisis, the consultation process would be suspended.

Other European nations are also risking delays, such as Czechia, where the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands are expected to be released in June, and the UK, where the 700 MHz bands are planned to go on sale by May, followed by 3.6-3.8 GHz bands a month later. Finland was also among the first countries expected to auction the 26 GHz 5G band in the first half of the year.

Regulatory bodies in other countries are choosing to tackle this problem with the help of temporary assignments of spectrum rights. An example can be Belgium, where conducting an auction has been made impossible due to the lack of government coalitions, and temporary licences for the 3.6-3.8 GHz band are being issued instead. Irish regulator, ComReg, intends to issue temporary licences for the 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands in order to help meet capacity requirements during the pandemic while working on concluding the auction plan.

Following the release of the 700 MHz band in the first half of the year, the European Union expects all states to provide mid-band 5G spectrum in the 3.4-3.8 GHz range and mmWave frequencies in the 24.25-27.5 GHz range by the end of the year.

Back in February, shortly before the coronavirus crisis started, Brazil announced its auction was going to be postponed from March to the second half of 2020 due to technical issues and legal regulations. Brazil expressed concerns about frequency interference and uncertainties about the rules regarding the spectrum dispute.

At the end of last year, Sweden’s Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) also announced that the auction for frequencies in the 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands would be postponed from Q1 of 2020 as a result of changes to the country’s Electronic Communications Act (LEK). One of the main areas directly affected by these updates is national security with regard to telecommunications networks. The tender is now expected to be held later in the year.

source: telecompaper.com / Reuters DE / commsupdate.com