Mark Grayson: 5G Networks – The Role of Wi-Fi and Unlicensed Technologies

Nowadays, It is obviously much of the attention has been around spectrum specifics, but 5G’s embracing of an EAP based authentication framework and its broadening of identity concepts to enable new value chains to be supported points to the fact that in many cases, Wi-Fi can already be used to address those opportunities. Similarly, we see 5G now splitting access functionality into centralized units and Tx/Rx Points, which echoes a similar split of Wi-Fi access into Access Controller and Wireless Termination Points.

Finally, just as 3GPP is evolving with 5G, Wi-Fi is evolving with 802.11ax. From a timing perspective, before standardized 5G gets launched, we will have 802.11ax systems up operating.

What are the business objectives you think this paper can address?

The paper describes the transition from 3GPP as merely serving consumer-centric propositions, towards 5G which aims to enable operators to support vertical industries and new revenue streams. This requires a change in mind set from traditional coverage and capacity centric propositions, towards delivering a set of new value creation enablers. Once again, we see 5G as following Wi-Fi, e.g., with the aspiration to provide context based value creation, capabilities that are already commonly used within today’s Wi-Fi deployments.

Why do you think Wi-Fi is important in 5G among unlicensed Technology?

All the research forecasts that Wi-Fi will continue to carry the vast majority of mobile data and that situation isn’t going to change with the introduction of 5G; Wi-Fi is going to remain being the main indoor wireless technology. Hence the 5G ecosystem simply cannot ignore Wi-Fi. In terms of other unlicensed technologies, obviously there has been a lot of hype around LTE operating in 5 GHz unlicensed spectrum, but candidly one view is that as vast new swathes of new mid and hi-band licensed spectrum become available with 5G, perhaps that original motivation that drove the definition of 3GPP operation in the 5GHz band will diminish.

What is the top 3 recommendations you want to give to the audience (Wi-Fi enabler) to prepare from 5G with Wi-Fi?

In this whitepaper, “5G Networks – The Role of Wi-Fi and Unlicensed Technologies” highlighted some specific gaps, but the message has to be that you don’t have to wait for 5G New Radio to be able to address those use case.
Many of the “5G use cases” can be addressed today using solutions based on Wi-Fi technology. This is not too early to prepare, this is the time for Wi-Fi enablers, Operators to get ready for 5G with Wi-Fi now!

How Wi-Fi network will be impacted by 5G?

We talked about 5G following Wi-Fi with specific capabilities, but also Wi-Fi is learning from 3GPP. In particular 802.11ax will see a significant change to its MAC layer to cope with high density environments, but also to enable Wi-Fi to deliver a more consistent user experience. Candidly, with 11ax the divergences between 3GPP and IEEE 802.11 MAC designs will diminish.

Moreover, from an on-boarding perspective, I think we still have work to do in the Wi-Fi industry to match the ease of use that has been the foundation of cellular. This is something that Cisco is keenly interested in, especially as it relates to the new challenges we expect around massive IoT deployments.

From your company perspective, what are the important actions in next 12 months you will take in order to ride on the business opportunities with Wi-Fi facing the 5G era?

We need to continue to focus on the ease-of-use issues that sometimes leave Wi-Fi users stuck behind captive portals with un-responsive apps, all because they haven’t agreed to certain terms and conditions.

Then, as 802.11ax gets finalized, there is an opportunity to follow up on initial technology comparisons, to demonstrate how Wi-Fi can be employed to support certain 5G use cases.

Finally, we need to continue to advocate that Wi-Fi needs to be treated as a Radio Access Technology that is a peer of 5G, and not one that is sub-ordinated by defining standards that prohibit critical signalling being transmitted over Wi-Fi access networks.